Vineyard Wind has selected Jan De Nul Group, together with its subcontractor JDR Cable Systems, to supply and install the roughly 130 miles of inter-array cables for its 800MW project off the Massachusetts coast.
The 66kV inter-array cables connecting 62 GE Haliade-X turbines will transfer electricity to an offshore substation for transmission to the grid.
Vineyard Wind is a joint venture between Avangrid Renewables and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP).
Part of the contract calls for installation support and subsea training for individuals with an electrical background.
This is expected to create approximately 40 new full-time jobs in Massachusetts to ensure skilled labour is available locally to support the project and its ongoing maintenance, as well as the US offshore wind industry.
Vineyard Wind chief executive Lars Pedersen said: “Our partnership with Jan De Nul Group and JDR is great news for the project because it ensures that we’re working with a leading global installation company and supplier while also creating jobs here in the US.
“Combined with the recent signing of the Project Labor Agreement, we hope this latest step sends a clear message on the tremendous opportunity this industry holds for both job creation and investment.”
Jan De Nul’s manager for offshore cables Wouter Vermeersch said: “We are excited to be at the forefront of the emerging offshore renewables market in the US.
“In 2020, we successfully completed the foundation and turbine installation on the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project and we are looking forward to capitalizing on the knowledge gained and the experience of working on the East Coast with this new challenge.
“Together with Vineyard Wind and our subcontractor JDR Cable Systems, we will support the local supply chain within the Massachusetts region to deliver the required offshore support vessels and skilled personnel up to the high standards required for safe and efficient offshore wind farm construction.”