Hartlepool firm wins power cable supply contract for major North Sea project

A Hartlepool firm has won a huge contract to supply power cables for a major North Sea project.
By Tom Patterson
Published 14th Nov 2019, 10:49 BST
Updated 14th Nov 2019, 11:26 BST
The JDR Cables plant in HartlepoolThe JDR Cables plant in Hartlepool
The JDR Cables plant in Hartlepool

JDR Cable Systems, based at Victoria Dock, Hartlepool, is to design and manufacture cables with Eqionor for the Hywind Tampen floating offshore wind project – off the coast or Norway.

The firm, which is part of the TFKable Group, will provide 11 cables for the project – which will be the first worldwide to power oil and gas platforms using floating offshore wind – a more technically challenging project than traditional fixed-foundation offshore wind schemes.

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Cables pose a particular challenge due to the high stresses but JDR has established itself as a leader in this technology with work for the Windfloat Atlantic floating wind farm last year.

The power cores for the cables will be manufactured by JDR’s parent company TFKable at its Bydgoszcz factory in Poland.

All the cables and accessories will be assembled in Hartlepool.

Robert Weeks at sales manager at JDR said: “We are delighted to win this project with Equinor. It’s a world-first and we are very proud to be a part of it.

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“Floating wind power is still in its infancy compared to fixed-foundation offshore wind, but has the potential to revolutionise how we generate power for deepwater platforms and on coastlines which only have access to deeper waters.

“As operators look to decarbonise production and countries look for more sources of renewable energy, floating offshore wind can make the difference, and we are commited to providing solutions and innovative technologies to help offshore wind flourish on a global scale.”

The turbines will have a total capacity of 88 MW, capable of meeting about 35 per cent of the annual power demand of the five Snorre A and B, Gullfaks A, B and C oil and gas platforms off the Norway coast.

The 2.5 km long cables will connect to the eleven turbines in a loop and the two static 12.9km and 16km cables will be used to connect the loop to the platforms.

The greater water depth means the cable accessories will be especially designed to withstand higher water pressures.

Related topics:HartlepoolNorth SeaNorway