Prysmian signs preferred bidder agreement with RWE Renewables for 1.4 GW offshore wind farm in UK

Prysmian Group has signed a preferred bidder agreement with RWE Renewables Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, the world’s second biggest offshore wind farm developer, for the development of the turn-key high voltage submarine and land export cable connection worth over EUR200 million (US$237 million) for Sofia Offshore Wind Farm project. The finalization of the contract is subject to final negotiations and to the final investment decision by RWE of the project.

Located 195 km from the nearest point on the UK’s North East coast, the 1.4 GW Sofia offshore wind farm is sited on the shallow central area of the North Sea known as Dogger Bank. Once it becomes operational in 2025, it will be able to generate enough power to supply over 1.2 million homes with renewable electricity.

Hakan Ozmen, EVP Projects BU, Prysmian said, "The development of grid infrastructures for the transmission and distribution of electric power from renewable sources is strategically important and supports UK’s sustainable energy system towards the country’s net-zero emission target".

With the contract signature and notice to proceed both expected in Q1 2021, Prysmian Group will be responsible for the design, supply, installation, and commissioning of an HVDC symmetrical monopole cable system that will connect Sofia’s offshore converter station with the onshore converter station in Teesside. The project involves more than 440 km of ±320 kV submarine export cables with XLPE insulation, and 15 km of ±320 kV land cables with P-Laser insulation. All submarine cables will be produced at Prysmian Group’s center of excellence in Pikkala (Finland), while the land cables will be manufactured at the Gron plant (France). The offshore cable operations will be performed using the Leonardo da Vinci, Prysmian’s new cutting-edge cable-laying vessel. Commissioning of the project is scheduled for late 2024.