West of Duddon Sands OFTO
OperationalOffshore GridGB389 MW155 kV44 km2014
Basic information
9 fieldsAlso Known As
WoDS OFTO · WoDS Transmission plc · West of Duddon Sands offshore transmission system · West of Duddon Sands Transmission Assets · TR2 West of Duddon Sands OFTO
Status
operational
Capacity
389 MW
Project Company
Type
offshore grid
Transmission Model
Developer Build & Transfer
Expected Life
20 years
Website
Supply Chain (10)
Project Timeline (19)
21 Aug 2015Regulatory Other
Ofgem published its "Offshore Transmission: Cost Assessment for the West Of Duddon Sands transmission assets" decision, completing the financial cost assessment required under the OFTO regime. The report defines the scope of the WoDS transmission assets (one offshore platform, two approximately 41 km subsea export cables, two about 3 km onshore export cables, and an onshore substation at Heysham with two 400 kV bays) and determines the efficient cost of developing and constructing them. The cost assessment table shows that the total assessed transfer value for the assets was reduced from an initial figure of 311.0 to 268.9 million (in the same units), forming the basis for the price the eventual OFTO would pay and for setting its allowed regulated revenue.
21 Aug 2015Stake Transaction
Ofgem granted WoDS Transmission plc (a Macquarie / 3i Infrastructure consortium) a licence for the 389 MW West of Duddon Sands offshore transmission assets on 21 August 2015. The transfer value was GBP 269 million. Assets transferred from a DONG Energy / ScottishPower Renewables 50/50 joint venture under Ofgem's OFTO Tender Round 3.
Macquarie (Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund 5 / Macquarie-led consortium) acquired from Ørsted (100%)
21 Aug 2015Fid Financial Close
Financial close was achieved for the West of Duddon Sands OFTO when Ofgem granted WoDS Transmission plc a licence to own and operate the £269 million transmission link connecting the West of Duddon Sands offshore wind farm to the onshore grid, completing financing under Offshore Transmission Tender Round 2 and enabling 20 years of regulated operation.
21 Jul 2015Construction Other
By July 2015, the foundation jacket and topside modules of the West of Duddon Sands offshore substation platform for the transmission assets had been installed using a standard piled jacket design with grouted connections, completing the main structural installation offshore for the OFTO system.
29 Oct 2014Commercial Operations Full Power
On 29 October 2014, the 389 MW West of Duddon Sands offshore wind farm was officially opened by Energy Secretary Ed Davey, with DONG Energy and ScottishPower Renewables confirming that full power output had been achieved more than two months ahead of schedule. All 108 Siemens 3.6 MW turbines were installed, commissioned and generating, with electricity exported via the offshore substation and two 150 kV export cables to the onshore substation at Heysham and into the National Grid.
Jan 2014First Power
In January 2014, the West of Duddon Sands wind farm began generating electricity and exporting power to the UK national grid via its offshore substation and 150 kV export transmission system connecting to the onshore Heysham substation, marking first power flow through the West of Duddon Sands transmission link.
2013Cable Installation Start
Export cable installation for the West of Duddon Sands offshore wind farm commenced in 2013 as part of the offshore construction campaign. Over 200 km of subsea cables were installed, including two 150 kV export cable circuits connecting the offshore substation to the landfall at Middleton Sands and onward to Heysham substation.
2013Offshore Construction Start
Major offshore construction works for the West of Duddon Sands project, including installation of the offshore substation and associated offshore transmission infrastructure, started in 2013 in the East Irish Sea.
11 Dec 2013Cable Installation Complete
By 11 December 2013, two 150 kV subsea export cables for the West of Duddon Sands grid connection had been laid and buried from the landfall position at Middleton Sands all the way to the offshore substation, completing installation of the main subsea export circuits.
Aug 2013Procurement Notice
Authority: Ofgem · Licence: Determination and planned August 2013 release of the Indicative Transfer Value for WoDS transmission assets at the ITT stage of the OFTO tender
Ofgem progressed the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage for the West of Duddon Sands transmission assets in August 2013 as part of Tender Round 2, releasing the Indicative Transfer Value to qualified bidders. The tender process completed successfully with Ofgem granting the OFTO licence to WoDS Transmission plc on 21 August 2015. Note: date is from pre-event projection in the Fichtner ex-ante report; the ITT proceeded as part of the completed tender process but exact timing not independently verified from a post-event source.