The Dogger Bank C platform, manufactured by Aibel and installed by Heerema Marine Contractors’ Sleipnir vessel, measures 75 meters by 50 meters and stands 36 meters high. It is mounted on a four-legged steel jacket foundation, secured to the seabed at an average depth of 23 meters. The topside installation follows the jacket’s placement by Heerema’s Sleipnir vessel a week earlier.
Dogger Bank project director Olly Cass stated: “The installation of our third offshore substation platform marks a significant leap on our journey to delivering renewable energy for around 6 million UK homes annually once the wind farm is complete. Our strong partnership with Aibel, Hitachi Energy and our installation partners, with Heerema installing this third platform, has been key to the seamless completion and handover of these three pioneering structures.”
Equipped with Hitachi Energy’s HVDC converter technology, the platform is the first in the UK to use this system for an offshore wind project, enabling efficient electricity transmission over long distances with minimal losses. Each of the three platforms will process 1.2GW of AC power from the wind turbines, convert it to DC, and transmit it to onshore converter stations near Beverley in East Riding, Yorkshire, and near Redcar on Teesside.
Martijn Kuipers, project director for Dogger Bank C at Heerema, commented: “Completing the installation of the Dogger Bank C offshore substation platform marks a proud milestone for Heerema. The thorough preparations and seamless collaboration between Sleipnir’s skilled crew, our project team, Dogger Bank Wind Farm and our subcontractors, enabled us to safely and successfully install the jacket and topside.”
The 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm, a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%), and Vårgrønn, will supply clean energy to millions of UK households. Further commissioning activities are underway to prepare the platform for energy transmission, with the substations designed for remote operation from shore, accessible only by service vessels.
