ABB to supply cable for offshore wind farm extension in the UK

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won an order worth around $30 million from DONG Energy, a leading wind power development company, to supply a high-voltage export cable system that will transmit power from the Burbo Bank Extension Offshore Wind Farm in the UK.

ABB’s project scope includes the design, engineering, supply and commissioning of the 25 kilometer (km) long 220 kilovolt (kV) AC (alternating current) submarine cable and the related offshore substation cable. ABB will also supply 32 km of AC underground cables and the associated substation cables as well as the cable joints, accessories and terminations related to the project.

The Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm is situated on the Burbo Flats in Liverpool Bay at the mouth of the Mersey river, approximately 6.4 km from the Sefton coastline and 7.2 km from North Wirral. Burbo Bank receives the full force of the wind from the Irish Sea in the west, making it an ideal location for offshore wind power generation.

The Burbo Bank Extension covers an area of 40 square kilometer (sq.km) and has an estimated generating capacity of up to 258 megawatts (MW) – enough electricity to meet the needs of approximately 240,000 households.The proposed project would be located west of the operational Burbo Bank offshore wind farm in Liverpool Bay, around 7 km north of the North Wirral coast, 8.5 km from Crosby beach and 12.2 km from the Point of Ayr on the Welsh coast.

“Offshore wind is making an increasing contribution to boost the share of renewables in Europe’s energy mix and this project will support the UK government’s efforts in this area”, said Claudio Facchin, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. “ABB has considerable experience in executing such projects and the technologies to support the efficient integration of renewables into the grid."

As one of the world’s leading high-voltage cable manufacturers ABB has extensive knowledge and experience across a range of applications including offshore wind farm connections, powering oil and gas platforms from shore and underground or subsea interconnectors. ABB has successfully commissioned nine AC cable projects for offshore wind connections and others are under execution.