First Turbine Installed for Rampion Offshore WIndfarm
The construction of Rampion Offshore Windfarm enters into its final phase. At the weekend the first of 116 wind turbines was installed for the project based in the English Channel off the coast of Sussex.
For the installation each tower with a length of 80m, weighing approximately 200t, is positioned and bolted onto each turbine foundation. Next the nacelle, which houses the generator and gearbox, is fitted onto the tower, and finally the three blades, each measuring 55m in length, are hoisted and connected one at a time.
During spring, offshore cabling work will continue. Onshore construction of the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) base at Newhaven Port will commence in March. The O&M base will include offices and warehousing and will employ up to 60 fulltime, permanent staff and store spare parts and tools to support the maintenance of the turbines.
The 400MW project being built by E.ON, the UK Green Investment Bank and Canadian energy company Enbridge, will provide enough electricity to supply almost 347,000 homes a year, equivalent to around half the homes in Sussex. The project is due to be completed and fully operational in 2018.