Construction update - March 2008
Construction of the Rhyl Flats Offshore Wind Farm will restart at the beginning of April 2008, with the continuation of the scour protection installation - an important part of the offshore wind turbine foundations.
Work was suspended at the site last winter in line with planning consent conditions that were agreed when the application to build Rhyl Flats Offshore Wind Farm was approved in 2002.
During 2007, scour protection was installed at 13 of the 25 turbine foundation locations at the Rhyl Flats Offshore Wind Farm site. The remaining scour protection is now set to be laid on the seabed at the 12 remaining offshore turbine locations.
The dredger vessels 'MS Margrethe Fighter' and 'Aase Madsen' will be laying rocks, to a thickness of up to 1.5 metres. Both vessels will be operating out of the Port of Mostyn in Flintshire.
The rocks, which have been sourced from the Penrhyn Slate Quarry near Bangor, Gwynedd, will prevent localised erosion of the seabed around the turbine foundations.
A Notice to other sea-users in the area is being issued this week to inform them of the scour protection works.
The laying of scour protection marks the first stage of the offshore foundation works, with further foundation installation activity expected to start later in April. Depending on weather conditions, the foundation installation work is expected to finish in July 2008, with other works to follow. The entire wind farm project is expected to be completed by July 2009.
