First Export Cable Laid at Scotland’s 1.1GW Offshore Wind Farm

First export cable pull-in - Enshore Subsea’s CMOS Installer at Inch Cape’s offshore substation platform (Credit: Inch Cape Offshore)

Enshore Subsea has installed the first of two offshore export cables at Inch Cape offshore wind farm, using the CMOS Installer cable laying vessel.

Operating from the Port of Blyth, the vessel installed the first of two 85-kilometre export cables for the 1.1 GW offshore wind farm, being built off the east coast of Scotland.

The 220 kV, three-phase export cable was installed in three 28-kilometre sections.

Once operational, the cable will transmit power from the offshore wind farm to the project’s new onshore substation under construction at Cockenzie, East Lothian

The cable required two offshore joints which were completed using North Sea Giant and will shortly be buried in the seabed.

Manufactured by Ningbo Orient Wires & Cables (Orient Cable), the 2000 mm2 cable is among the largest AC export cables in the world. The second 85-kilometre export cable will also be installed by Enshore Subsea in three 28-kilometre sections during a later campaign in 2026.

Inch Cape is well into its offshore construction phase with both the offshore substation platform and the first export cable installed, and the first of its XXL monopiles delivered to the Port of Leith.

In 2026, the plan is to install monopile and jacket foundations along with the first of 72 Vestas 15MW turbines and to complete the onshore substation, according to developers.

The project is on track for first power in late-2026 and full commercial operations in 2027.

Inch Cape is owned in a 50-50 equal joint venture by ESB and Red Rock Renewables, and once complete will generate almost 5 terawatt hours (TWh) of energy each year or enough to power half of the homes in Scotland.