The 49-acre field is now a near-complete two-link substation, and the installation works for the Link 1 and Link 2 converter stations are going full steam ahead. These converter stations will change the electrical current arriving from Hornsea 3 from DC to AC to feed into the National Grid at Norwich Main and from there into more than 3 million homes.
Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 team is proud both of the rate with which the site has been constructed but even more by its excellent safety record. This incredibly busy site, where multiple contractors and subcontractors work side by side has achieved 750,000 working hours with no time lost due to accidents or safety issues.
Paul Ashworth, Hornsea 3’s Onshore Construction Manager at the Onshore Converter Station, said: “Our safety record and rate of progress have only been possible due to the strong “one team” culture that has grown across the project. Our aim is to stay focused, avoid complacency, and continue tackling issues together. Major infrastructure projects are never easy, but the satisfaction of seeing this one take shape is reward enough.
“Huge thanks
go out to the amazing team working tirelessly to deliver this critical piece of
the puzzle that will one day form part of the world’s largest single offshore
wind farm, delivering 2.9GW of green energy for the UK. Technology aside, it’s
people who make the difference.
“The positive
relationships and collaborative atmosphere here are among the best I’ve seen in
my career — and it’s a privilege to be part of it.”What began as
a very undeveloped site has transformed into state-of-the-art facilities ready
for the final waves of installations.
Our main on-site contractor Hitachi Energy broke ground in Spring 2023 starting with a massive effort to remove vegetation and large amounts of material to prepare three working platforms. Despite some extraordinary weather conditions progress continued.
In January last year PJ Hegarty, Hitachi’s appointed civils contractor, kicked off permanent works with deep drainage and reinforced concrete foundations, preparing the way for Hitachi’s Building, Mechanical & Electrical and HV teams. The project continues on schedule with the final focus on the installation and commissioning of electrical equipment to bring the project to life.
