Giant arrivals at Port of Nigg mark milestone for mega offshore wind farm
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A HEAD-TURNING arrival at an Easter Ross port has marked a "significant milestone" in a massive offshore wind energy project.
Global Energy Group (GEG) has overseen the first delivery of transition pieces (TPs) to the Port of Nigg in the Cromarty Firth.
They will be used for the 882MW Moray West Offshore wind farm, Ocean Winds, the 50:50 joint venture between ENGIE and EDP Renewables.
In total, 62 TPs will be delivered to Nigg on a rolling programme of delivery and installation, with GEG providing pre-assembly support services including craneage, logistics, mounting ancillary equipment and inspection and repair support.
The first delivery to Nigg included two TPs for the offshore substations, allowing progress on the export electrical infrastructure to be made. As part of this critical infrastructure, GEG’s fabrication division completed the construction of two J-Tube cages. These will be integrated with the TPs and protect the cables coming from the wind turbines into the offshore substations, as well as the cables exporting the power to shore.
See also: Offshore wind deal bolsters jobs at Nigg
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The delivery kickstarts the upcoming campaign to install all 62 TPs onto the monopile foundations, which are currently being marshalled and installed from the Port of Cromarty Firth. Following the installation of the monopile foundations and TPs, the Siemens Gamesa 14.7MW turbines will be positioned onto each of the turbine bases.
Charlie Morrison, operations director at GEG and Port of Nigg, said: “We are delighted to welcome the transition pieces for the Moray West project to our Port of Nigg facility. We look forward to working closely with the Moray West team in the successful execution of the storage, marshalling and load-out of the TPs before their onward journey to the field.
“I’m proud of the successful track record that GEG have built in the offshore renewables industry over recent years, having managed more than 2.6GW of offshore winds assets through the Port of Nigg. As a group we have grown our preassembly capabilities and expertise to service the comprehensive requirements of the offshore wind sector, cementing our position as the partner of choice for offshore wind operations in the UK.”
Moray West Project Director, Pete Geddes, said: “This is a significant milestone and a fantastic opportunity to draw attention to, not only the progress that the Moray West project is making, but also the benefits that the project is bringing to
Scotland’s economy and supply chain through these significant contracts with GEG.
“At Oceans Winds, we’re proud to see the benefits that the Moray West project is bringing to Scotland. The jobs supported at Port of Nigg associated with the Moray West development is great for the local area and the Highlands as a whole and builds on our excellent track record of supply chain support in Scotland.”
