The HVDC offshore converter platform for the East Anglia 3 wind farm has been installed in the North Sea, approximately 70 km off the Suffolk coast, England.
The 10,700-tonne topside, built for ScottishPower Renewables, was lifted into position by Heerema Marine Contractors’ heavy-lift vessel Sleipnir. The structure stands seven storeys high and is part of the transmission system that will connect the 1.4 GW offshore wind farm to the onshore grid.
According to the developer, this is the first offshore HVDC platform installed by ScottishPower Renewables. The platform converts alternating current (AC) generated by turbines into direct current (DC) before transmission to shore.
The topside was fabricated in Mangalia, Romania, and later transported to Aker Solutions’ yard in Stord, Norway, where final assembly and commissioning were carried out. Siemens Energy supplied the HVDC transmission equipment.
East Anglia 3 forms part of the wider East Anglia Hub, owned by ScottishPower Renewables, a subsidiary of Iberdrola Group. The project represents the company’s first use of HVDC technology in an offshore wind farm.
Once operational, the £4 billion project will have an installed capacity of 1.4 GW. The wind farm is scheduled for completion in late 2026.
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