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Prysmian set a new important milestone in offshore wind technology, providing dynamic cable to connect Kincardine Floating Offshore Wind Farm Project, based in Scotland

In 2017 Offshore wind in Europe saw a record 3,148 MW o f net additional installed capacity, bringing the total installed offshore wind capacity in Europe to 15,780 MW. This corresponds to 4,149 grid-connected wind turbines across 11 countries.

In 2017, according to WindEurope, offshore wind in Europe saw a record 3,148 MW of net additional installed capacity, bringing the total installed offshore wind capacity of the continent to 15,780 MW. This corresponds to 4,149 grid-connected wind turbines across 11 countries.

This positive trend is set to continue also thanks to new floating foundations technology. Locating future offshore wind farms further from shore in deeper waters will give access to hitherto untapped wind resources, while minimising visual impact.

Prysmian Group, the leader in submarine cables business, has been awarded a tender by Cobra Wind International Ltd to provide a cable system connecting the wind farm to mainland UK.

A first for Prysmian, it foresees the design and supply of two export cables, as well as inter-array cables. The cable will also come equipped with all associated cable accessories in order to connect the turbines of the Kincardine offshore floating wind farm – situated approximately 15 km southeast of Aberdeen – to the Scottish mainland power grid. The wind farm will have capacity to provide 218 GWh of electricity, which is the equivalent to powering over 55,000 homes in Scotland. Installation is planned over 2018 and 2019.

“The cable contract for the Kincardine Offshore Wind Farm Project is an important technological milestone for Prysmian, because it’s our first project for a floating offshore wind farm” says Alessandro Panico, Sales Team Manager – Offshore Wind, Prysmian Group. He continues, “We recognise the continued growth in this developing segment of the market, which is of particular strategic interest for our business”.

Prysmian will be responsible for the supply of each export cable, which is made up as a single cable length to run along an approximate 17 km route. Each route consists of a static cable design, combined with around 0.5 km of dynamic cable route section which will complete the connection to the floating turbine tower. The 33 kV three-core submarine cable will utilise an EPR insulation system throughout. The static section length will be finished with single-wire armouring; while the dynamic section will apply a double-wire armoured design.

The Group plants in Vilanova, Spain, and Drammen, Norway, will produce the submarine cables.

Submarine power link to strengthen the Filipino Grid

The project, worth more than €150 million, reinforces Prysmian Group’s position in Asia.

A huge power transmission network with submarine c able links is a crucial asset to The Republic of the Philippines, which consists of about 7,641 islands. The Filipino grid operating company – National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) -- awarded Prysmian Group a contract worth more than €150 million for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of two submarine power cable connections between the islands of Cebu and Negros.

This project is part of a larger development plan by NGCP, aimed at connecting the islands of Cebu, Negros, and Panay with one another, while strengthening the overall Philippines power grid. The CNP-3 cable connection comprises six High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) 230 kV single core cables with XLPE insulation and double wire armouring, together with two separate fibre optic cable links along a 30 km submarine route.

The CNP-3 project is a backbone interconnection for the Philippines that will transmit 400 MW per circuit connection from Talavera CTS (Cebu) to Calatrava CTS (Negros). The cables will be produced in the Group’s centre of excellence for submarine cables in Arco Felice, near Naples, Italy. The project is scheduled to be completed by the first half of 2019.

CONNECTING TWO PEARLS OF SOUTHERN ITALY

A new submarine cable connection will link two “pearls” of Southern Italy: the isle of Capri and the coast town of Sorrento. The contract, worth around €40 million, has been awarded by Terna Rete Italia S.p.A. to Prysmian Group, following a European call for tender.

This new power link will complete the Capri connection ring, increasing the efficiency and reliability of the island’s power system. The project, to be completed in 2019, involves the turn-key installation of an HVAC 150 kV power cable link between the power stations located in Sorrento and on Capri’s Gasto Ecological Island, following a 16 km submarine and 3 km land route.

The cables will be manufactured in the Arco Felice plant (Naples), a Group centre of technological and manufacturing excellence, while cable laying will be performed by the Prysmian vessel,

“Cable Enterprise” with Prysmian providing all related network components and the required specialist civil engineering works.