What the Project will look like

We expect that the Project will comprise of the following elements:

  • Up to 40 wind turbine generators (WTGs)
  • Up to two offshore substation platforms (OSPs)
  • Platform link (interconnector) cables
  • Inter-array cables

WTGs and OSPs will be located within the offshore windfarm site and be fixed to the seabed with foundation structures.

Inter-array cables will connect the WTGs to each other and carry renewable energy to the OSPs. The OSPs will convert the power to a suitable voltage. This is then transferred into the electricity transmission network via the existing National Grid substation at Penwortham in Lancashire

For more information about the transmission part of the project and why a separate DCO application is needed for this, visit transmission.

WTGs will be set out in rows. The minimum space between each individual WTG in a row is estimated to be around 990 metres (0.99 kilometres). The minimum space between each row of WTGs is estimated to be around 1,760 metres (1.76 kilometres).

The seabed conditions and the presence of existing infrastructure will influence the final layout of the WTGs within the site boundary. This may lead to an increase in the gaps between turbines and rows (as described above).

Morecambe Generation Assets
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Indicative diagram of what a typical WTG could look like. Actual design may differ. The above image is not to scale and for illustrative purposes only.

Contact us

Should you have any queries, please get in touch with us using one of the methods below:

Visualisations

The size, number and positioning of our turbines have yet to be decided. But at this early stage we’ve created indicative 3D visualisations to show potential views of the Morecambe Offshore Windfarm from a range of onshore locations.

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Morecambe Generation Assets
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The components of Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Generation Assets

This information is based on our current understanding of the Project and will be refined ahead of submitting our DCO application. These numbers are assuming the generation of 480MW of electricity.

Fast facts: WTGs
  • Proposed number of WTGs: up to 40
  • Proposed rotor diameter: between 220 and 300 metres
  • Proposed maximum tip height of wind turbine: up to 345 metres above the highest astronomical tide (HAT)
  • Example rotor speed range: between 6 and 10 revolutions per minute (RPM)
  • Minimum rotor clearance above sea level (HAT): 22 metres
Fast facts: OSPs
  • Proposed maximum number of OSPs: 2
  • Proposed maximum topside width (’topside’ meaning the main structure on top of the foundations above the sea surface): 55 metres
  • Proposed maximum topside length: 80 metres
  • Proposed highest point of topside (above LAT), excluding the helicopter landing pad and lightning protection: 65 metres
Fast facts: Inter-array cables
These are installed to connect individual WTGs and also to connect the wind turbine generators to the OSPs.
  • Proposed maximum width of disturbance due to the preparation, installation and burying of inter-array cables beneath the seabed: 25 meters
  • Proposed depth range for burying inter-array cables: 0.5 to 3 metres (target depth of 1.5m)
  • The maximum total length of inter-array cables is 110 kilometres. At most, we anticipate 10%of the cable length requiring protection due to ground conditions (11 kilometres).
Fast facts: Platform link (interconnector) cables
Should the project require two OSPs, platform link cables will be needed to connect each OSP to enable the transfer of electricity. They would also ensure that electricity transmission can continue in the unlikely event that a cable or OSP should unexpectedly fail.
  • Proposed maximum number of cables (and trenches): 2
  • Proposed maximum length of cable (per cable): 5 kilometres
  • The maximum total length of platform link cables is 10km. At most, we anticipate 10% of the cable requiring cable protection due to ground conditions (1km)

For more information about how we plan to build the Project, please see our PEIR on our Information Hub.