Orsted has signed two ‘industry first’ contracts for the production of XXL monopile foundations for its next wind farm, Hornsea Three.
As agreed, SeAH Steel Holdings - the South Korean company will fabricate the huge seabed piercing structures, together with Spanish entity Haizea Wind Group.
The deal with SeAH represents the single largest offshore wind foundations contract secured in the UK, and Orsted will become the first major customer for the emerging site in the North East.
Read more: Keadby Two Power Station delay flagged by SSE
It initially planned to set up at Able Marine Energy Park on the Humber, but opted for Teesside instead. In Bilbao, the work represents the single largest contract ever secured by Haizea.
Both are subject to a positive final investment decision from Copenhagen on the consented and subsidy-set development, 160km off the East Yorkshire coast. They follow transmission system, cable and foundation installation contracts, which were announced soon after this summer's CfD approval.
Hornsea Three senior project director, Luke Bridgman, said: “Hornsea Three represents another leap forward in terms of the size and scale of offshore wind farms. As well as adding a significant source of low-cost clean energy, the project is also supporting the further development of the UK supply chain. Through our projects, we are also making ongoing efforts to work with new and expanding players coming into the market to support reducing the cost of energy.”
Construction will be co-ordinated from the company’s Humberside Airport base, with operations and maintenance to be added to the world-leading Grimsby cluster, at which Orsted is at the forefront.
Each of the huge foundation structures will weigh between 1,300 and 2,400 tonnes and measure in at between 83 and 111 metres in length. Monopile production is expected to start in 2024.
SeAH and Able UK jointly announced plans for the creation of the heavy industrial operation in September 2020, with the signing of a memorandum of understanding and promise of 400 jobs. By the following April a planning application was in the offing, and by July the £250 million proposal’s jobs figure had almost doubled to 750, with now Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng welcoming the news. November saw Orsted's order first flagged and an agreement announced, but in February this year, despite it forming a major element of the Humber Freeport plans, SeAH opted for Teesworks instead.
Read next:
Hydrogen, carbon capture and offshore wind - all Humber infrastructure Chancellor aims to accelerate
Orsted chief outlines mission ahead as Humber role in offshore wind ambition explored
World-leading wind farms will now match our Russian reliance on gas for power generation
Brigg Power Station to become Centrica battery storage plant
All your Humber business news in one place - bookmark it now
