Construction update - April 2008
The first of the monopiles and transition pieces arrived at Mostyn Docks earlier this month in preparation for the main construction works.
HLV Svanen arrived on site at the beginning of April and anchored off the North Wales coast in preparation for the start of piling work 5 miles offshore.
Scour protection work began on schedule at the start of April, preparing the seabed for the installation of the 25 monopiles and transition pieces. See the Rhyl Flats Offshore Wind Farm Construction Newsletter for more details - link on right.
The major offshore piling work started just after 11am on Tuesday 29 April, 2008, marking a major milestone in the construction of this important clean, green energy project.
Each of the 25 wind turbines at Rhyl Flats are supported on a robust foundation known as a monopile (single pile). Each of these cylindrical steel tubes have to be installed in a vertical position, with the lower section penetrating the seabed and the upper section rising up between the seabed and the surface of the water.
The piles are towed out to the wind farm site one by one from the construction base at the Port of Mostyn, before being installed by the Svanen. Piling work is estimated to last for 2 -3 months, depending on progress and weather.
