Delay to Rhyl Flats windfarm plans after barge sinks in Irish Sea

Dec 4 2008 by Judith Phillips, North Wales Weekly News

AN ACCIDENT with a vital piece of equipment has caused a setback to work on the Rhyl Flats off-shore wind farm.

At the end of October one of two huge crane barges due to carry out construction work on the site sank in the Irish Sea. At the time energy company npower renewables said it wouldn’t affect the work, but now it has decided to suspend operations until April.

“Unfortunately at the end of October one of the two vessels planned to install the wind turbines at Rhyl Flats, KS Titan 1, was lost at sea during transport from the USA,” said construction manager Richard Watson.

“This event has been followed by continuing poor weather at the site which have delayed progress off-shore. Since the conditions of our consent to build the off-shore elements of the windfarm require us to suspend works over the winter from mid-December to the end of March, we have taken the practical decision to cease works off-shore now and start again in April.

“During the winter period we shall maintain on-shore operations at Mostyn relating to the wind turbine assembly works, and will also be carrying out periodic maintenance visits to the foundations.”

The main off-shore construction works started in April this year with the installation of the foundation piles. This work was completed in July when the off-shore cabling began, and the export cables installed between the beach and the windfarm have been completed.

“Discussions are progressing to secure a second vessel to join the Lisa-A jack-up barge to install the wind turbines next year. Starting the turbine installation next year will lengthen the project programme by three months, and the windfarm will be fully operational in the final quarter of 2009,” he added.