RWE Renewables announced that first turbine blades to be installed at the 857MW Triton Knoll offshore wind farm have arrived at the selected construction port in Teesside.
Triton Knoll offshore wind farm project is located 32km away from the Lincolnshire coast, with a turbine array covering 145km2 area.
The project is designed to feature 90MHI Vestas V164-9.5MW turbines, each stretching 164m tip to tip.
Upon completion, the project is expected to power more than 800,000 UK homes.
Triton Knoll project is jointly owned by RWE, J-Power and Kansai Electric Power, while RWE is managing the wind farm’s construction and long-term operation and maintenance works.
Triton Knoll and RWE Renewables project director Julian Garnsey said: “Triton Knoll has made a significant investment into Able Seaton Port to establish wind turbine handling facilities there for the first time.
“It’s an investment that secures the North East of England at the very heart of the delivery of Triton Knoll, and which leaves a lasting legacy for future offshore wind farm projects to be constructed from the region.”
Able Seaton Port transformed for Triton Knoll project use
The first 15 turbine blades to arrive at the Seaton port were manufactured by MHI Vestas at its Isle of Wight UK facility and finished at its Fawley plant across the Solent.
Able Seaton Port, located near Hartlepool, has been transformed into a specialist assembly and construction facility for the project use.
MHI Vestas has recently established a full turbine logistics and pre-assembly hub at the 140,000m2 Able Seaton Port site, for the RWE-managed joint venture project.
Garnsey said: “At Triton Knoll we remain committed to ensuring that our investments from this flagship project benefit local coastal communities, and the UK’s expanding offshore supply chain as much as possible.
“We are delighted to be working with MHI Vestas and Able UK delivering this new UK infrastructure, and to see the first Triton Knoll components arriving at Seaton, ready to begin installation early next year.”