Moray West OFTO
OperationalOffshore Grid860 MW220 kV80 km2024
Basic information
9 fieldsAlso Known As
Moray Offshore Wind Farm (West) OFTO · Moray West Offshore Transmission · Moray West TR10 OFTO · Moray West OFTO transmission assets
Status
operational
Capacity
860 MW
Project Company
Type
offshore grid
Transmission Model
Developer Build & Transfer
Expected Life
25 years
Website
Supply Chain (7)
Project Timeline (23)
1 Jan 2026Financial OtherStale
Moray West (the twelfth OFTO) is expected to require about £65 million of equity in 2026 (projected capital requirement tied to the preferred-bidder position).
Apr 2025Commercial Operations Full Power
Construction and offshore installation of the Moray West offshore wind farm transmission system progressed from 2023 and culminated in April 2025 with the Moray West OFTO transmission assets—two offshore substations, export cable circuits, and the onshore substation and grid link connecting the 882 MW wind farm in the outer Moray Firth to the UK grid—being fully commissioned and in commercial operation, enabling continuous power export at full intended capacity.
Nov 2024Substation Supplier Selected
In November 2024, Lamprell secured a contract to fabricate 60 wind turbine generator transition pieces and two offshore substation pieces for the Moray West project, providing key structural components for the offshore substations that are part of the transmission system to be transferred to the Moray West OFTO. The award forms part of the wider supply chain for Moray West’s offshore grid infrastructure ahead of full commissioning and OFTO divestment.
15 Nov 2024System Testing
On 15 November 2024, Ocean Winds stated that, following installation of all primary project components including the offshore and onshore substations, array and export cables, and wind turbines, the Moray West project had entered and was continuing its commissioning and testing phase ahead of full acceptance in 2025. This indicates that integrated electrical and performance testing of the Moray West offshore transmission system, including substations and export links to shore, was underway by that date.
3 Jul 2024First Power
The Moray West offshore transmission system, including its export cables and substations linking the wind farm to the National Electricity Transmission System at Blackhillock, achieved first power on 3 July 2024 when electricity from the initial series of turbines was successfully exported to the grid. Ocean Winds reported that the export cables were in place and buried within the predefined corridor, completing the electrical connection between the wind farm and NETS, and marking the first energisation of the Moray West OFTO export link.
Q2 2024Procurement Notice
Authority: Ofgem · Licence: Planned Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage for OFTO Tender Round 10 – Moray Offshore Wind Farm (West) OFTO transmission assets
Ofgem progressed the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage for the Moray West OFTO transmission assets under Tender Round 10, inviting shortlisted bidders to submit detailed offers to own and operate the approximately £0.6 billion Moray West offshore transmission link. The ITT process concluded with Ofgem appointing Transmission Capital Partners — a consortium comprising Amber Infrastructure Group and Transmission Investment — as the preferred bidder on 10 April 2025, under a Notice under Regulation 21(1) of the Electricity (Competitive Tenders for Offshore Transmission Licences) Regulations 2015.
Q4 2023Cable Landfall Complete
Landfall works for the two high-voltage offshore export cable circuits at Sandend Bay, including horizontal directional drilling (HDD) of two boreholes with liner installation and subsequent pull-in of both approximately 50 km, 245 kV export cables from the lay vessel into the landfall transition joint bay near Sandend Bay, were completed by ACE Winches, linking the subsea cables to the onshore transmission route toward Whitehillock and Blackhillock substations.
2023Offshore Construction Start
Offshore installation activities for the Moray West offshore wind farm and its associated transmission system, including the Moray West OFTO export cables and substations in the outer Moray Firth, began in 2023. These offshore construction phases ultimately led to full operational status and grid connection being achieved in April 2025.
Nov 2023Cable Installation Start
Installation of the Moray West offshore export cables commenced in November 2023, with Nexans deploying its cable-laying vessels Nexans Skagerrak and Nexans Aurora to lay and bury two 220 kV HVAC export cable circuits between the two offshore substation platforms and the landfall at Sandend Bay. The pull-in of export cables at both offshore substation platforms was successfully completed by March 2024, with cable terminations finished by the OSP commissioning teams working alongside a team onboard the jack-up vessel Leviathan.
Oct 2023Construction Other
Robertson Civil Engineering completed the main civil works for the Whitehillock onshore substation in October 2023, working as civil engineering contractor for Siemens Energy. The £8.9 million contract scope included construction of the Voltage Source Converter (VSC) building, foundations and floor slab for the control and amenities building, installation of over 300 precast concrete equipment bases, electrical transformer bunds, site lighting, CCTV, security fencing, internal access roads, and landscaping. The substation steps up voltage from 220 kV to 400 kV, enabling the Moray West OFTO transmission assets to connect into the National Electricity Transmission System at the adjacent Blackhillock 400 kV substation.