Seaway 7’s Aberdeen Base set for Seagreen
SSE Renewables has announced Aberdeen-based Seaway 7 has been selected to install the inter-array cables and foundations for the Seagreen offshore wind farm.
The 1,075MW project is located 27km off the coast of Angus. When completed Seagreen will be Scotland’s single largest source of renewable energy, providing a significant contribution to Scotland’s net zero ambition and enough clean, renewable energy to power 1 million homes.
The full contract will support around 30 jobs within Seaway 7, the Renewables business unit of Subsea 7, at their Aberdeen office where the Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation (EPCI) contract will be managed. This includes the installation of the inter-array cables and foundations for the offshore project. This number is expected to rise to around 50 jobs at peak activity.
The subcontract for the fabrication of foundations is still being negotiated and will be announced in due course.
SSE Renewables and Seaway 7 have a proven track record of delivering first class offshore wind farm projects, having previously worked together on Beatrice offshore wind farm, currently Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm. Once complete, Seagreen will inherit this title from Beatrice.
John Hill, Seagreen Project Director, said: “Seaway 7 bring a wealth of offshore wind knowledge and expertise and we are pleased to welcome them and their Aberdeen team to Seagreen.
“Their appointment as preferred supplier moves us one step closer to delivering Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm.”
Steph McNeill, Executive Vice President – Renewables at Seaway 7, said: “We are looking forward to continuing our successful collaborative relationship with SSE Renewables as we help construct Seagreen.
“We have been active in the UK Renewables sector for over a decade and are very pleased to continue to support the ongoing energy transition in the UK. The Seagreen project will be managed from our Seaway 7 office in Aberdeen, bringing our offshore wind expertise to the largest offshore wind project in Scotland.”
The appointment of Seaway 7 is the second major contract to be awarded to a historically oil and gas focussed company in the north-east of Scotland, highlighting the diversification being seen across the region in the transition towards renewables.
At the end of 2019, SSE Renewables appointed Montrose port as the preferred location of the operations and maintenance base for Seagreen, bringing investment and jobs to the local area for the lifetime of the project.
Seagreen is the only Scottish offshore wind project to have been successful in the UK Government’s most recent auction for low carbon power, with a portion of the project awarded a 15-year contract.
