GE Renewable Energy selects Eastgate Engineering to support Dogger Bank wind farm project

GE Renewable Energy announced today that they have selected Eastgate Engineering, based in Billingham, Teesside, to provide mechanical and electrical activities for the pre-assembly of the towers and nacelles for the Haliade-X turbines to be used at Dogger Bank Offshore Wind Farm. The contract is expected to support approximately 90 local jobs including Electrical and Mechanical Technicians, Supervision and Project Management who will execute the installation, testing and commissioning works, including HV cable connection and VLF testing, associated with the pre-assembly of the three tower sections and nacelles.

The mechanical and electrical engineering work will be done at Able Seaton Port, the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm marshalling harbour.  The work began in January 2023 and is expected to continue throughout all three phases of the pre-assembly of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which is set to conclude in 2026.

GE started preparing the marshalling harbour at the end of 2022 and began receiving the initial components for the wind farm in January of 2023.

Nathan Fahey, GE Project Director for the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said, “We are pleased to announce that we have selected Eastgate Engineering to provide mechanical and electrical engineering support for the Dogger Bank Offshore Wind farm.  They have the expertise and strong local presence we are looking for in the companies we are engaging to support this project.  This award is another in a series of contracts with companies in the Teesside area that will both support and create jobs today and well into the future.”

David Brennan, Managing Director of Eastgate Engineering, said, “Eastgate Engineering is delighted to work in close partnership with GE to deliver the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Our highly skilled, locally based workforce is excited to support such a historic project with such an important role to play in bringing more clean, renewable offshore wind online in the UK.”

GE announced in December of 2022 that it has selected Mammoet UK, based in Thornaby Teesside, to supply onshore heavy lifting and transport for the staging and assembly of turbine components for the Dogger Bank Wind Farm.

Dogger Bank Wind Farm is located over 130 km off the north-east coast of England and each phase will be able to produce 6TWh of renewable electricity, totaling 18TWh annually, when complete in 2026, equivalent to powering approximately the equivalent of six million UK homes each year or around 5% of the UK’s electricity demand. Due to its size and scale, the site is being built in three consecutive phases: Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C.

The project is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%).

Dogger Bank Wind Farm Commercial Director Simon Bailey, said, “Eastgate Engineering is a very welcome addition to our Dogger Bank Wind Farm supply chain, as they help us prepare for turbine installation later this year. The Billingham-based company is one of a number of firms in the north-east bringing expertise to our world-leading project, which is supporting more than 2,000 UK-based roles during construction and operation.”