September 7, 2016
England

Windfarm go-ahead mean massive developments at Bicker Fen and Orby

Wednesday 07 September 2016 | www.spaldingtoday.co.uk

The go-ahead has been granted for a substation at Bicker Fen and electrical compound at Orby as part of the major Triton Knoll windfarm development off the East Coast.

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Greg Clark, granted what is known as the Development Consent Order for the projects electrical system – which also includes vast underground cabling.

In July 2013, the Secretary of State granted consent for the project’s offshore wind turbines, while this latest Development Consent Order (DCO) provides consent for the electrical system which connects the turbines into the national grid onshore. Tuesday’s consent includes the offshore export cable, the onshore underground export cable, an intermediate electrical compound at Orby, and a new substation at Bicker Fen.

Triton Knoll consent delivery manager Melissa Read said: “Today’s announcement by Greg Clark is an important milestone in the development of Triton Knoll and a real testament to the high quality of application and information our consents team presented. A very thorough six-month long examination has enabled a wide range of local views to be considered in the final proposals and we are very grateful to everyone who has taken part in this process. Obtaining consent is the start of the next phase in the project’s life cycle, and we look forward to working with the community and stakeholders as we take the project forward into construction.

“Triton Knoll has potential to be a real catalyst for supply chain and economic growth in the Greater Lincolnshire, Humber and East Coast regions and is already working locally and regionally to help develop the supply chain and establish a lasting regional economic legacy. In the Humber area, we anticipate the project could be worth a total of around £224 million and support over 800 jobs annually during construction alone, while its operation could support a further 220 jobs annually locally.

“As a now fully consented project, Triton Knoll can confidently move forward creating business opportunities, jobs and equipping local people and businesses with new skills to be able to tender for jobs both with us and across the wider renewables sector for many years to come. There’s still a lot of work to do, but we’re looking forward to working more closely with local communities as the project continues to grow.”

While the project now has full consent, its next milestone is to achieve a successful bid into the Government’s upcoming Contracts for Difference auction.

Project director James Cotter added: “Triton Knoll aims to be one of the most cost competitive offshore wind farms in Europe by seeking best value in all aspects of the project. At the same time, the project is committed to ensuring areas like the Humber, Greater Lincolnshire and East Coast economies can benefit most from its investment.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/09/07/windfarm-go-ahead-mean-massive-developments-at-bicker-fen-and-orby/