EDS HV Group wins 3-year O&M contract
High voltage engineering specialist EDS HV Group (EDS), part of the marine services company, James Fisher and Sons, has been awarded a 3-year O&M contract for Vattenfall’s Blackdog Substation at the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC), also known as Aberdeen Bay Offshore Wind Farm.
The contract was awarded following a competitive tendering process and further strengthens the existing relationship between EDS and Vattenfall. The scope of the contract will see EDS provide substation management services, including inspections and maintenance of the primary electrical assets and secondary auxiliary systems at Blackdog 132kV/66kV substation. EDS will call upon their O&M experience ensuring that the EOWDC continues to run smoothly and generation is maximised.
Over the years EDS has developed a close working relationship with Vattenfall, already providing O&M services across their entire portfolio of UK Offshore & Onshore windfarms as well as providing services to Vattenfall sites across mainland Europe. Ryan Murphy, Head of Operations at EDS says, “This contract award builds upon an already excellent relationship that EDS has with Vattenfall and we look forward to continuing to provide the service levels that they have come to expect. We have recently re-organised the Operations and Maintenance department and recruited an additional three staff to provide even greater efficiency for our clients. The award of this contract has most certainly contributed to our continued growth. The contract comes as EDS continues to go from strength to strength, continuously proving that they are the best suited to help clients maximise generation and reduce costs.”
Kevin Jones, Head of the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre states, “We are pleased to be awarding this contract to a UK company. The development of the supply chain is a crucial factor in the UK’s renewable success story and the result of co-ordinated action by the offshore wind sector. Vattenfall remains committed to playing its part in delivering the ambition of the Offshore Wind Sector Deal.” Located off Aberdeen Bay, the EOWDC has eleven 8.8MW MHI Vestas turbines with a total generating capacity of 96.8MW, each rotation generating enough energy to power a home for 24 hours. The turbines are some of the most powerful in the world. It is also one of the first offshore windfarms in the world which features an offshore 66kV high voltage network.