JDR Cables reports it has signed a contract with DEME Offshore for the SeaMade offshore wind farm after a competitive tender. JDR, part of the TFKable Group, will design, manufacture and deliver 78.1 kilometers of aluminium core inter-array cables and a range of cable accessories, including repair joints and connectors.
The inter-array cables connecting the 58 Siemens 8.4MW turbines, will carry electricity to an offshore substation for transmission to the offshore grid. The offshore wind power generated is transmitted by a 33kV cable system with hang-offs and connector terminations for 128 cable ends. The cable will be assembled in JDR’s Hartlepool facility, with delivery expected by the end of 2019.
The SeaMade offshore wind farm is located up to 50 km off the coast from Ostend and will integrate two wind sites known as Mermaid and Seastar. The 487MW project is the single largest wind farm being funded and built in Belgium.
The project, operated by SeaMade, which is a consortium of Otary RS (70% stake), Electrabel (17.5%), and Eneco Wind Belgium (12.5%) is expected to be operational by 2020.