SSE Renewables Appointed Petrofac For Seagreen Wind Farm Substations

SSE Renewables announced the appointment of leading FTSE-250 company Petrofac as the preferred supplier of onshore and offshore substations to the 1,075MW Seagreen offshore wind farm project.

Petrofac, which has a major operating centre in Aberdeen, will be responsible for the design, supply and installation of the HVAC onshore and offshore substations as part of the project’s transmission package. The scope of work will include the engineering, procurement, fabrication, transportation, offshore installation and commissioning of the offshore substation platform, including the topside, jacket and piles. The onshore substation EPC scope includes all civil work and major equipment.

Petrofac has a strong track record in offshore wind, specialising to date in the engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning of HVDC and HVAC offshore and onshore substations for major international wind farms. Recent projects include the BorWin3 offshore grid connection project in the German North Sea, the Hollandse Kust Zuid (HKZ) Alpha and Beta platforms in the Dutch North Sea, and a turnkey power system for the Galloper offshore wind farm off the coast of Suffolk.

The Seagreen project represents one of the most significant construction opportunities ever undertaken in Scotland. Located 27km off the Angus coast, it will be the country’s largest offshore wind farm when completed. Seagreen will be capable of providing low carbon power for up to 1 million homes annually and would avoid around 1.6 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, taking a vital step forward in Scotland’s fight against climate change.

Seagreen owner SSE Renewables along with its Tier 1 suppliers, including Petrofac, are committed to maximising opportunities for the Scottish and wider UK supply chain during the project’s construction.
The appointment of Petrofac is set to bring significant local value to the region through the sourcing and procurement of local goods and services, including site infrastructure, plant hire and manpower requirements.

As part of today’s announcement, Petrofac confirm that onshore substation works will be undertaken by a Scottish-based civil engineering contractor, due to be announced shortly. It is anticipated these construction works will support up to 100 jobs locally.

John Hill, Seagreen Project Director at SSE Renewables, said: “We are pleased to welcome the expertise of Petrofac to the Seagreen Project. With their experience across engineering, procurement, construction and installation in this sector we have secured a high level of project certainty in delivering these key elements of the works.

“We are working towards final investment decision, expected in the coming months, for the project and are looking forward to working with Petrofac to transport the clean, renewable energy generated by Seagreen onshore and onto the National Grid.”

Elie Lahoud, Petrofac’s Group Managing Director – Engineering & Construction, commented: “We have been involved in a number of similar projects in the North Sea and are delighted to have been appointed to be part of the Seagreen project, which will be Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm. This will enable us to continue to grow our capability and experience in offshore wind and supports our diversification into renewable energy. Along with the wider team involved, I look forward to the safe and quality delivery of both the onshore and offshore substations.”

Seagreen is the only Scottish offshore wind project to have been successful in the UK Government’s recent Contract for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round and has been awarded a 15-year contract for low carbon power from offshore wind.