The first of two 85-kilometer offshore export cables has been successfully installed at Scotland's Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm off the east coast of Scotland. The 220 kV, three-phase export cable represents a critical milestone for the 1.1 gigawatt wind farm project.

Cable Installation Details

Enshore Subsea completed the installation using the CMOS Installer cable lay vessel operating from the Port of Blyth. The cable was installed in three 28-kilometer sections and required two offshore joints, which were completed using North Sea Giant. The cable will be buried in the seabed shortly.

Once operational, the export cable will transmit power from the wind farm to the project's new onshore substation currently under construction at Cockenzie, East Lothian. The cable, manufactured by Ningbo Orient Wires & Cables Co. Ltd (Orient Cable), has a cross-sectional area of 2000 mm² and ranks among the largest AC export cables in the world.

Project Leadership Response

John Hill, Inch Cape Project Director, expressed satisfaction with the completion of this scope, describing it as “the critical link between the offshore and onshore substations.” Hill credited the achievement to “great work by the Inch Cape team and our supply partners, including Orient Cable and Enshore Subsea.” He noted that this achievement demonstrates “the momentum Inch Cape has gathered since early summer, and to the team's focus on the successful delivery of key milestones.”

Pierre Boyde, Enshore Subsea CEO, characterized “the installation of the first export cable is an important step for the Inch Cape project.” Boyde acknowledged “the collaboration with our partners and remain focused on supporting the safe and efficient delivery of the work ahead.”

Construction Progress and Timeline

Inch Cape is well into its offshore construction phase, with both the offshore substation platform and the first export cable now installed. The first of the project's XXL monopiles has been delivered to the Port of Leith. Enshore Subsea will also install the second 85-kilometer export cable in three 28-kilometer sections during a later 2026 campaign.

Next year will see the installation of the project's monopile and jacket foundations, the first of 72 Vestas 15MW turbines, and the completion of the onshore substation. The project remains on track for first power in late 2026 and full commercial operations in 2027.

Project Ownership and Energy Output

Inch Cape is owned in a 50/50 equal joint venture by ESB and Red Rock Renewables. Once complete, the wind farm will generate almost 5 terawatt-hours (TWh) of energy each year, enough to supply half of the homes in Scotland.

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