Construction Other

In November 2023, the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm reached a significant onshore construction milestone when the onshore converter station received its transformers at the Teesside site. This delivery represents a major step in building out the project’s HVDC transmission system, which will ultimately carry power from the offshore array to the UK grid. The arrival of the transformers follows earlier enabling and civil works at the converter station site, and reflects steady progress in executing the complex electrical infrastructure required for Sofia’s 1.4 GW of offshore capacity. This milestone builds on a sequence of converter-station related activities. In January 2022, the load-bearing stone platform and associated civils were completed to prepare the site for GE’s Grid Solutions’ chosen contractor, followed in February 2022 by the appointment of Kier Infrastructure as the onshore converter station contractor. An official “first spade in the ground” ceremony in April 2022 marked the formal start of onshore converter station construction, and by October 2022 the framework for the valve hall and control building was in place. The November 2023 transformer delivery therefore signals the transition from primarily civil and structural works towards installation of key electrical equipment, positioning Sofia for subsequent stages of electrical integration and commissioning as broader offshore and onshore works continue to advance.