DEME Offshore secures sizable inter-array cable contract for Dogger Bank C wind farm in the UK

Earlier today, DEME Offshore, subsidiary of the DEME Group, announced it has been awarded a sizable EPCI contract for the inter-array cables at the Dogger Bank C wind farm in the UK.  Dogger Bank C is the third phase of the 3.6 GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm which currently is the world’s largest offshore wind farm under development. Today’s announcement follows the earlier awarding of Dogger bank A and B inter-array cable contract in early 2021.

The scope of this new EPCI agreement includes the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of the subsea cables for the 1.2 GW phase of the wind farm.  DEME Offshore will supply, install and protect approximately 250 km of 66 kV inter-array cables and all related accessories.

Dogger Bank Wind Farm is located more than 130km off the North East coast of England and is currently being delivered by joint venture partners SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni. The wind farm is being developed in three 1.2 GW phases, A, B and C. Upon completion, Dogger Bank will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm and will generate energy to power up to 6 million homes every year.

Production of the cable for Dogger Bank C is set to start in 2023.  The cables will be installed in 2025 and DEME will once again be deploying its DP3 cable installation vessel ‘Living Stone’.   Living Stone boasts an inhouse designed dual-lane system, consisting of two cable highways – this allows cable laying using one lane whilst the next cable can be simultaneously prepared and have the cable protection system (CPS) installed on the other lane. As previously demonstrated, this significantly reduces the time needed for preparing the cables, minimises manual handling, increases the vessel’s workability and ultimately, improves production rates.

Bart De Poorter, General Manager of DEME Offshore comments: “After securing the Dogger Bank A and B inter-array cable contract earlier this year, we are proud to now also confirm the inter-array cable contract for the Dogger Bank C wind farm. This contract not only demonstrates the unrivalled cable-laying capabilities by our DEME Offshore team, it is also further testament to the stellar reputation of our DP3 cable installation vessel ‘Living Stone’.”

Simon Bailey, Commercial Director for Dogger Bank Wind Farm says: “We are delighted to award the contract for the supply, installation and protection of the inter-array cables at Dogger Bank C wind farm to DEME Offshore, extending our existing relationship with DEME on phases A and B to the third phase of this project. This will ensure continued synergies across the construction activities of the offshore wind farm, including the deployment of DEME’s state-of-the-art cable installation vessel ‘Living Stone’ which will install the almost 250 km of 66 kV inter-array cables required to connect Dogger Bank C’s offshore turbines.”

Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%). On 2 November 2021 SSE and Equinor announced the sell down of a combined 20% share in Dogger Bank C to Eni (10% each). The transaction is expected to close in Q1 2022, subject to regulatory and lenders approvals and customary purchase price adjustments. Eni will enter the asset effective from completion of the sell down transaction. Once the transaction is complete, the new overall shareholding in Dogger Bank C will be SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%).