Subcontractor Jones Bros Civil Engineering has begun the first section of earthworks for the converter stations for the 3600MW Dogger Bank offshore wind farm.
The converter stations, south of Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire, will receive an DC current via the cables from the wind turbines and convert it to an AC current before sending it to the National Grid.
Jones Bros has also started ducting activities on the high voltage DC cable route from Ulrome to Beverley for the Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B projects.
Dogger Bank will be located more than 130km off the Yorkshire coast in the North Sea and is being developed in three 1.2GW phases by joint venture partners SSE Renewables and Equinor.
The project is the first wind farm in the world to use HVDC technology, due to its distance from shore.
The HVDC route comprises of 30km of ducting with trenches totalling 120km for ducting and cables.
Horizontal directional drilling is also taking place to install the cabling ducting beneath existing structures, including roads, railways, canals, common land and rivers with minimal disruption.
Jones Bros is also continuing to build access tracks, with 13km in place since the civil engineering contractor started on site earlier in the year.
The full works are expected to take two and a half years to complete.
Jones Bros contracts director Garod Evans (pictured) said: “We have more than 30 horizontal drills to carry out, which includes building a drilling pit to allow our supply chain partner Johnston Trenchless Solutions, also UK based, to operate.
“The horizontal drilling method will be used on multiple roads, canals, a river and a railway line to avoid unnecessary disruption.
“The team are also carrying out earthworks and drainage ahead of the installation of the convertor station platform where the cables will run to.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm project manager Ollie Flattery said: “Jones Brothers have done a fantastic job getting project construction underway in such challenging circumstances, whilst ensuring those working on site, as well as the community in which they are operating are kept safe.
“We look forward to continuing working with Jones Brothers on the project in the months ahead as we develop the innovative infrastructure needed to provide clean energy for millions of UK households.”