Prysmian Signed Preferred Bidder Agreement for Sofia Offshore Wind Farm

Prysmian Group has signed a preferred bidder agreement with RWE Renewables Sofia Offshore Wind Farm for the development of the turn-key high voltage submarine and land export cable connection worth over €200 million for the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm project.

The finalization of the contract is subject to final negotiations and to the final investment decision by RWE of the project.

Located 195 km from the nearest point on the UK’s North East coast, the 1.4-GW Sofia offshore wind farm, sited on the shallow central area of the North Sea known as Dogger Bank, is RWE Renewables’ largest single offshore wind project under development so far, as well as the farthest from shore. Once it becomes operational in 2025, it will be able to generate enough power to supply over 1.2 million homes with renewable electricity.

Hakan Ozmen, EVP Projects BU, Prysmian, said, in part, that the company is honored “to support RWE Renewables in this important offshore wind project, providing our state-of-the-art cable technology to support UK’s sustainable energy system towards the country’s net-zero emission target.”

With the contract signature and notice to proceed both expected in 1Q21, Prysmian Group will be responsible for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of an HVDC symmetrical monopole cable system that will connect Sofia’s offshore converter station with the onshore converter station in Teesside. The project involves more than 440 km of ±320 kV submarine export cables with XLPE insulation, and 15 km of ±320 kV land cables with P-Laser insulation. All submarine cables will be produced at Prysmian Group’s center of excellence in Pikkala (Finland), while the land cables will be manufactured at the Gron plant (France). The offshore cable operations will be performed using the Leonardo da Vinci, Prysmian’s new cable laying vessel that is able to offer enhanced project versatility.

Commissioning of the project is scheduled for late 2024.