RWE has committed to building its biggest ever wind farm off the UK coast after making a final investment decision on a £3bn 1.4gW offshore wind farm called Sofia.

The energy giant is to forge ahead with construction of the project, which is situated 195km from the UK coast at Dogger Bank, with onshore enabling works due to start in the coming weeks and offshore construction in 2023.

Project completion is expected in 2026.

RWE was awarded a contract for difference from the government for Sofia in 2019, achieving a strike price of £39.65 per mW/hour, in 2012 prices.

Tom Glover, chief commercial officer of RWE Renewables and RWE UK country chair said: “Through our investment, Sofia presents a great opportunity for RWE to unlock long-term local jobs, and business benefits, while delivering new renewable energy for over 1.2million UK homes every year.”

The project will have a single offshore converter platform, with the electricity generated transported via a high voltage direct current export cable to landfall 220km away in Redcar, Teesside. Sofia will require a new onshore converter station, and already has an agreed grid connection point at the existing National Grid substation in Lackenby, Teesside, 7km inland. RWE is reviewing port options for the project’s long-term operations and maintenance activity.

Preferred supplier agreements are already in place for all of Sofia’s key suppliers and RWE will now proceed to finalise contracts with them in the coming weeks.

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy is lined up to supply 100 of its 14mW offshore wind turbines. A specially formed consortium of GE Renewable Energy’s Grid Solutions and Sembcorp Marine is set to supply a state-of-the-art transmission system for Sofia.

International marine contractor Van Oord is the preferred supplier for monopile foundations as well as array cables and plans to establish a logistics hub in the UK’s north east to deliver the work.

The Sofia wind farm adds to those already either in operation or underway by RWE in the UK, which include the construction of the 857mW Triton Knoll Offshore wind farm.

Source - www.constructionnews.co.uk