Italian cable manufacturer Prysmian Group has completed its cable installation contract for RWE’s 1.4GW Sofia offshore wind farm at Dogger Bank in the North Sea.
Prysmian secured the contract, worth more than €200m ($232.1m), from RWE in 2021 to design, manufacture and install high-voltage cable systems for the project.
The high-voltage direct current (HVDC) symmetrical monopole cable system installed by Prysmian links Sofia’s offshore converter station to the onshore converter station in Teesside.
The company’s activities included laying more than 450km of cables both on land and at sea using its cable-laying vessel the Leonardo Da Vinci.
For the onshore elements, Prysmian deployed its P Laser insulation, a thermoplastic material described as fully recyclable and designed to provide improved electrical performance at higher temperatures.
Prysmian UK and North Europe project director Marco De Donno said: “From award to delivery in less than five years is impressive, and something that is of huge credit to our team, the partnership with RWE and everyone involved.
“This project, which has been delivered flawlessly, will now power millions of homes [and] proves that offshore wind can be done, and quickly.”
The Sofia project’s connection is at an existing National Grid substation in Lackenby.
The project is equipped with 100 wind turbines and is expected to meet the electricity needs of around 1.2 million homes in the UK.
It covers a site of 593km², situated approximately 195km from the nearest point on the UK mainland at Lackenby, Teesside.
Each turbine stands at a height of 252m and the project site reaches depths of roughly 35m.
Originally called Dogger Bank Teesside B, the development received consent in 2015. It was subsequently acquired by innogy, now RWE, in late 2017 and renamed Sofia offshore wind farm.
Construction of the project is ongoing in cooperation with suppliers, authorities and statutory bodies.
Earlier this year, Prysmian secured a £2bn ($2.7bn) contract to supply cable for the Eastern Green Link 4 subsea electricity project.
