Technology advances enable Triton Knoll to remove Intermediate Electrical Compound from final design

The team behind the Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm have confirmed that they have been able to remove the Intermediate Electrical Compound (IEC) from their final design.

The IEC, which was originally planned to be built near Orby in Lincolnshire, would have had a footprint of around 1.8 hectares and was considered necessary to manage power flows along one of the longest, high voltage, underground cable routes in the world. But based on technical modelling and subsequent collaboration between the project team and contractors, the IEC has now been designed out of the electrical system altogether and will not be built.

The CfD winning project, marked as one of the best low-cost offshore wind farms in the UK, is being developed as a joint venture between innogy (50%) and Statkraft (50%), with innogy managing the project on behalf of the partnership. Triton Knoll said that removing such large infrastructure has helped further reduce the cost of generating energy from the wind farm, and would also remove a key concern for local people, raised during the planning process.

Project director James Cotter said: “We are so pleased to be able to announce this. It’s great news for local people in Orby; the change in design addresses issues raised during the planning process, and will reduce the overall visual and construction impacts of the project in the local area.

“It’s also great news for UK energy consumers as the removal of the IEC helps the project make significant cost savings which in turn is helping drive down electricity bills.”

Executive Councillor, Economy and Place at Lincolnshire County Council, Colin Davie said: “I warmly welcome the announcement that the visual impact of an Intermediate Electrical Compound at Orby has been removed, and also the continued commitment of Triton Knoll to keep traffic disruption in the area to a minimum.

“Lincolnshire County Council will continue to work closely with the Triton Knoll project team and Orby Parish Council to help ensure that this beautiful part of Lincolnshire remains exactly that.  In addition, we will work with the Local Liaison Committees to ensure that the communities between Anderby and Bicker that host this major UK infrastructure project are kept informed of developments.”

Locally, the change in design will reduce the level of construction traffic required to build the IEC.  A smaller haul road than originally planned will also now be possible, reducing the width of the cable route between the A158 and IEC site by 6 metres. This design change means that project infrastructure in the proximity of Orby (the works are located 3.5km away from the village) is now expected to be limited to the underground cables and joint bays.

Triton Knoll remains committed to ensuring that no construction vehicles will travel through the village of Orby.

The innovative thinking behind the redesign is due to the technological expertise and experience that exists within the Triton Knoll project team, coupled with the expertise of its contractors who confirmed the feasibility of removing the IEC during initial detailed design works.

Electrical System Lead Engineer Mick Chowns explained: “We utilised our internal expertise and access to advanced power system modelling software, to challenge everything from the cable capacity, design and manufacture, its installation and the dynamics of the power network. This meant we could optimise the power flows without the need for an IEC. Then we applied a collaborative strategy with our contractors, and challenged them to demonstrate that they could deliver such a solution.”