Scope of Work
Categories:
Submarine Cable Installation
Lifecycle Stages:
Construction
Quantities:55 km submarine cable (island_link)
Cable Specifications:
TypeHVAC
Purposeisland link
Voltage33 kV
Route Length55 km
Source text:
In January 1988 SWEB approved the placing of contracts for the manufacture and installation of a 33kV submarine cable to link the Isles of Scilly with the Board's mainland network in Cornwall. The manufacturers were Pirelli General, and the cable layers were Balfour Kilpatrick. In August 1988 the cable was laid using a converted cargo ship, the 'Star Hercules', which steamed at around 1.5 knots from Whitesands Bay to Porthcressa Bay.
Contract Details
Description
Balfour Kilpatrick carried out the installation of the 33 kV submarine power cable connecting Whitesands Bay in Cornwall to Porthcressa Bay on St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly. Following SWEB’s contract awards in January 1988, Balfour Kilpatrick acted as the cable‑laying contractor, using the converted cargo vessel Star Hercules to steam the approximately 55 km route and lay the three‑core, armoured submarine cable on the seabed. This construction‑phase work created the first mainland grid connection for the Isles of Scilly, replacing reliance on local diesel generation.