ScottishPower Renewables today confirmed the contract for the transport and installation of the foundations and inner-array cables for the East Anglia THREE offshore windfarm – set to be the second largest in the world – with Seaway7, part of the Subsea7 Group.

The  confirmation of the contract award comes a year after the Preferred Bidder agreement was announced.

East Anglia THREE – located in the southern North Sea, 69 kilometres off the Suffolk coast – will be the world’s second largest windfarm when it comes into operation in 2026.

Its 95 14.7MW turbines will have a combined capacity of 1,400MW, generating enough green electricity to power the equivalent of more than 1.3 million homes. It will support over 2,300 jobs during the two-year construction period and more than 100 roles in operation and maintenance over the lifetime of the windfarm. 

Seaway7’s scope of work includes the transport, logistics and installation of 95 monopile foundations, associated seabed preparation and scour protection along with the engineering, supply and installation of the 95 inner-array cables. 

In addition to the heavy lifting and cable lay vessels, Seaway7 will also utilise its heavy transportation fleet to handle the significant transportation scope.

Execution of the scope will be led from Seaway7’s Aberdeen and Sutton offices in the UK.  The project will progress from early engineering works throughout 2023 with offshore activities scheduled to commence in 2024.

Ross Ovens, ScottishPower Renewables’ Managing Director for the East Anglia Hub offshore windfarms, said: 
“It’s fantastic to confirm this major contract with Seaway7 for East Anglia THREE, which will be our biggest operational offshore windfarm in the UK and the second largest in the world when it starts generating green electricity in 2026.

“We’ve been moving at pace to put all the building blocks in place to ensure East Anglia THREE can get to work as quickly as possible, producing more green electricity in the UK for the UK and delivering all the benefits that come with that for the region – jobs, investment and opportunities. We’re already seeing the impact of that and the long-lasting legacy it creates thanks to East Anglia ONE, which came into operation in 2020.

“I’m very proud that there’s more of the same to come while driving that transition to a cleaner, greener net zero future alongside partners like Seaway7.”

Stuart Fitzgerald, CEO Seaway7, said: 
“This award builds upon our leading position in the UK market. The integrated nature of the award, combining the installation of both foundation and inner-array cables, as well as the utilisation of our heavy transportation vessels, is further testimony to the range of capabilities we have secured across the complete value chain.  

“We look forward to building our relationship with ScottishPower Renewables as, together, we deliver one of the world’s largest offshore wind complexes, representing a significant contribution to the UK’s renewable target."

KeyFacts Energy: ScottishPower Renewables UK country profile   l   KeyFacts Renewable Energy Directory: Seaway 7