SSE has gone to market for a survey team to carry out near-shore geotechnical work on the up to 520MW Arklow Bank 2 offshore wind farm off the east coast of Ireland.
The utility-developer wants a company to tackle 25 boreholes and 50 cone penetration tests at the site off southern County Wicklow.
Field work is due to be completed by end-September 2018 and reporting of results is planned for early 2019.
Interested parties have until 12 June to submit tenders.
The developer has redesigned the project by sketching a deployment of around 85 turbines in the lease area, which has consent for 200 machines.
A redrawn project timeline envisages a grid connection for the site in 2018 and the project winning a support contract in 2019 before construction kicks off in 2020 and commercial operations start by end-2021.
The timetable is dependent on Dublin introducing its new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme next year.
The project is located 13km off the coast beside SSE’s operational 25MW Arklow Bank 1 scheme (pictured), which was built in 2004 and is the only offshore project in Irish waters.
Image: NREL
Arklow Bank seeks survey squad
By EBS