Prysmian to supply land connection route

Cable manufacturer, Prysmian Cables and Systems, is to supply and install the land connection route for Gwynt y?Môr, one of the largest offshore wind farm projects currently under construction.

At £15m, the contract is the largest so far awarded in the UK by RWE npower renewables and represents a significant investment in the local economy as all cable will be manufactured at Prysmian's plant in Wrexham, North Wales.

The contract involves the supply and installation of four circuits of 132kV cable along an approximate 11.2km land connection route from Pensarn to a new substation at St Asaph using a fully ducted system. Prysmian will deliver the 134.4kms of 132kV cable using large, 3.4m diameter drums to enable long section lengths. The company will also manufacture and install 132 joints and 12 gas immersed terminations.

Prysmian is responsible for the design, implementation and testing of the project which includes excavating through environmentally sensitive areas, some 57 special crossings to rivers, drainage ditches and roads and drilling under the A55 and A547 to ensure no disruption to traffic.
Construction of the €2billion Gwynt y Môr project began in November 2009 and is being built by RWE npower renewables. Once fully operational, energy generation from Gwynt y Môr is expected to be equivalent to the average annual needs of around 400,000 homes.