Ørsted has signed a key installation contract with Seaway7 to deliver transport and installation of inter-array cables for its Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm.

Seaway7 will transport and install 66kV inter-array cables between each of Hornsea 3’s wind turbines and the two Offshore Converter Stations.

In total, the cables measure around 500km, the equivalent of the distance from London to Edinburgh.

This contract will play a significant role in enabling the construction of the offshore elements of the Hornsea 3 wind farm.

Once complete, Hornsea 3, with its 197 wind turbines, will be capable of generating enough renewable electricity to power more than 3.3 million UK homes.

Luke Bridgman, managing director for Hornsea 3, Ørsted, said: “On Hornsea 3, we value working with trusted partners, such as Seaway7, who know how we operate and with whom we have a positive track record.

“This contract represents one of the bigger links in the Hornsea 3 chain and helps take us closer to delivering the world’s single largest offshore wind farm.”

Stuart Fitzgerald, CEO, Seaway7, added: “With this award we look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with Ørsted.

“Hornsea 3 represents our seventh offshore wind project together, having also installed the inter-array cables on the two previous offshore wind farms in the Hornsea zone, Hornsea 1 and Hornsea 2.”

In 2020, Hornsea 1 became commercially operational with Hornsea 2 entering operation on the 31 August 2022 - becoming the world’s biggest offshore wind farm, powering more than 1.4 million UK homes.

Hornsea 3 was granted a Development Consents Order (DCO) in December 2020 and once operational, it will be capable of generating enough power to meet the average daily needs of well over two million homes.

Ørsted is also exploring the potential to develop a fourth project, Hornsea 4, which is currently in the pre-application phase.