Orsted has held a virtual ceremony celebrating the energisation of the onshore substations for the Greater 900MW Changhua 1&2a offshore wind farms off Taiwan.
Following the first power in late April, the energisation of the onshore substations marks the completion of the construction on land.
The energisation of two onshore substations (pictured), located in Changhua Coastal Park, Tawian, was delivered in close collaboration between Orsted and Star Energy Corporation, a subsidiary of Taiwan Cogeneration Corporation.
Orsted general manager for Taiwan Christy Wang said: “For the past three years, our teams have worked closely with Star Energy and over a dozen of local subcontractors, to turn an area of desolate land into Taiwan’s first offshore wind transmission hub.
“This is a great achievement for both our teams, Star Energy as well as the domestic sub-suppliers and contractors.
“It is also a testament to the successful combination of global offshore wind expertise and local experience.
“Moreover, the project serves as an excellent example of Orsted’s efforts and dedication to cultivate a local supply chain.
“We are proud to see more than 80% of the Orsted team and local contractors are from Taiwan, comprising around 1000 people directly and indirectly involved in this project.
“The Greater Changhua 1&2a offshore wind farms, the largest of its kind in Taiwan, have contributed to the development of a truly local supply chain and creating local jobs, as well as further strengthening Changhua as the green energy hub in Taiwan.”
With an investment of NTD7bn (€0.2bn), the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract scope included two state-of-the-art substations and a 3.7-km culvert box that allows ventilation and protection of the cables.
Throughout the project construction, Orsted said it has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to safety with a record of 1.7 million hours without a recordable incident has been achieved for the entire onshore substation project.
Star Energy chairman Tsai Chin-Fa said: “The collaboration with Orsted on the onshore substation and onshore transmission system was Star Energy’s first foray into the offshore industry, which was a critical decision to transform ourselves from inside out.
“Not only have we changed our mindset on QHSE, most importantly, we have also created partnerships with many local small and medium-sized enterprises, encouraging them to be part of Taiwan’s green energy transformation journey.”
Taiwanese suppliers participated in various scope of the EPC contract, from civil engineering, reactors, cable laying, equipment installation all the way to provision of air conditioning equipment.
Orsted said it will continue working with local suppliers and contractors to deliver offshore wind farms in Taiwan, contributing to its stable green energy transition.