Offshore surveys have commenced at the Awel y Môr offshore wind farm in Wales after the project secured a Contract for Difference (CfD) in the UK’s seventh allocation round (AR7).
RWE stated the work marks the first contracts placed since the CfD award, with contractors Geo and TGS conducting geotechnical and geophysical surveys across the 78-square-kilometre array area and export cable route.
TGS is performing seabed imaging and geophysical investigations to map the seabed’s geology and detect major boulders and features that may impact offshore construction.
Geo is performing cone penetration testing (CPT) and vibrocore sampling to evaluate seabed conditions. The GeoScope II, a new heavy-duty CPT rig, will be utilized in the array area.
The surveys will aid in refining the design for the wind farm and the export cable route to the landfall site between Rhyl and Prestatyn.
“This additional survey data will enable the team to refine designs and enhance our offshore construction methods, which is planned to start in 2029,” said Jo Pickard, Senior Consents Manager for RWE.
The project’s next step is reaching a final investment decision (FID).
Onshore construction is set to begin in 2027, starting with the onshore substation, followed by cable route construction in 2028.
The offshore wind farm, expected to have a 775 MW capacity, will be located off the North Wales coast, near the existing Gwynt y Môr wind farm, and include up to 50 turbines.
Awel y Môr is among seven extension projects that were awarded a seabed lease agreement by the Crown Estate in 2020. The UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero approved the wind project in 2023.
In January, RWE secured CfDs for 6.9 GW of offshore wind projects in the UK government’s AR7, including the Awel y Môr wind farm.
RWE is developing Awel y Môr with partners Stadtwerke München (30%) and Siemens Financial Services (10%).
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Original Story at www.offshorewind.biz