Greater Changhua Substation Lights Up Offshore Taiwan

The commissioning team of Ørsted and Keppel Offshore & Marine has ”black started” one of the two offshore substations at the Greater Changhua 1 and 2a wind farms off Taiwan.

This allowed for all the low voltage and utility systems onboard the platform to be powered up and to check that the power equipment remained in good condition after being shipped to Taiwan, a spokesperson for Ørsted said in a social media post.

The work was completed with the help of Floatel Triumph, an accommodation barge capable of housing 500 people.

Heerema Marine Contractors’ heavy-lift vessel Aegir installed the two substations in early November.

Manufactured in Singapore by Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd, the two substations were the first-ever to be installed in Taiwan’s waters.

Keppel O&M completed the construction of the jacket foundations for the two unmanned 600 MW offshore substations in the second quarter of 2021 and is undertaking the integration work for the offshore substations.

The jackets were installed by Aegir in May and June.

Once operational, the Greater Changhua 1 & 2a will be Taiwan’s first far offshore and large-scale offshore wind project.

Located some 35 to 50 kilometres off the coast of Changhua County, the 900 MW wind farms will comprise the two substations and 111 Siemens Gamesa 8 MW wind turbines scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2022.