Cable Installation Start

In 2021, the Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) offshore wind farm reached a key stage in its electrical infrastructure build-out with the installation of the first of its two export cables at the near shore of Thorntonloch Beach. Each export cable is 37 kilometres in length, and laying the first of these cables at the landfall location demonstrates that the offshore export cable installation campaign was actively underway by this point. This milestone followed the start of offshore construction at the NnG site in 2020, reflecting the project’s progression from initial offshore works into the detailed phase of installing the assets needed to transmit power to shore. The near-shore installation of the first export cable segment at Thorntonloch Beach is a critical interface between the offshore network and the onshore grid connection infrastructure. Completing this first cable installation laid the groundwork for subsequent installation of the second export cable and later offshore substations, as indicated by later timeline entries noting substation installation and, ultimately, first power export. Taken together, this 2021 activity confirms that NnG was advancing on schedule through its construction programme, moving closer to delivering electricity into the national grid via its planned 450 MW capacity.