Orsted has signed a supply contract for the inter-array cables for its next huge wind farm, Hornsea Three, having told how it is increasingly confident it will now proceed.
Hellenic Cables will supply the required 262km of connections between the individual turbines and the offshore converter station.
The decision comes after a Capital Markets Day presentation revealed a final investment decision is likely this year. Soaring inflation linked to the Russian invasion of Ukraine had led to talk of a stall, with the record low price set based on calculations made before costs escalated. Now the company has said it is increasingly confident it will be a position to sign it off.
Should it come through, the leading European provider will start manufacture in late 2025 at its state-of-the-art submarine cable plant in Corinth, Greece.
Hornsea Three senior project director, Luke Bridgman, said: “We are delighted to further Orsted’s deepening relationship with Hellenic Cables with this important contract award for Hornsea Three. We look forward to a successful collaboration during the execution phase as part of achieving our overall Hornsea Three goal of providing low-cost clean energy at scale.”
The scope of supply involves 66 kV inter-array cables that would stretch from Orsted’s East Coast Hub in Grimsby, where it will be operated and maintained from, to the M25.
With a capacity of 2.8 GW, Hornsea Three will be a new world record holder, and will take the zone beyond 5GW.
Alexis Alexiou, chief executive of Hellenic’s parent company, Cenergy Holdings, said: "We are pleased to announce our new collaboration with Orsted for the supply of inter-array cables for the Hornsea Three offshore wind farm. With our combined expertise and dedication, we will contribute to the successful development of Hornsea Three, a project that will generate clean, sustainable electricity to power millions of homes. This collaboration not only strengthens our position in the renewable energy sector but also aligns with our vision of creating a greener and more sustainable future. Together with Orsted, we are powering progress and paving the way for a cleaner, brighter tomorrow."
Onshore cabling contracts were signed last August, with power landing in Norfolk.
