The first of Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm’s two 85-kilometre offshore export cables has been successfully installed off the east coast of Scotland. The 220-kilovolt three-phase cable was laid in three 28-kilometre sections by Enshore Subsea using the CMOS Installer cable-lay vessel operating from the Port of Blyth. Once operational, it will transmit power from the 1.1 GW wind farm to the project’s onshore substation under construction at Cockenzie, East Lothian.
Two offshore joints were completed using the North Sea Giant, and the cable will shortly be buried in the seabed. The 2000 mm² cable was manufactured by Orient Cable. The second 85-kilometre export cable will also be installed by Enshore Subsea in three sections during a later campaign in 2026.
With both the offshore substation platform and the first export cable now installed, and the first XXL monopiles delivered to the Port of Leith, the project is progressing towards its next construction phase. Next year will see the installation of monopile and jacket foundations, the first of 72 Vestas 15 MW turbines, and the completion of the onshore substation.
Inch Cape remains on track to deliver first power in late 2026 and reach full commercial operation in 2027. The project is jointly owned by ESB and Red Rock Renewables.
