12th May 2009
Siemens Energy has awarded a major contract to supply the second substation platform (Galloper) for the world's largest offshore wind farm, Greater Gabbard, to McNulty Offshore Construction Limited based in South Shields, South Tyneside. The multi-million pound project began in January this year and expected to be completed in May 2010.
Specialising in offshore fabrication for the oil and gas industry, McNulty will be tasked with constructing an offshore substation to be housed within a platform, located 16 miles off the Suffolk coast, connecting to an onshore substation at Sizewell.
Generating enough electricity to power over 415,000 homes, the Greater Gabbard development also includes 140 wind turbines which will effectively cut CO₂ emissions by one million tonnes a year according to experts’ predictions.
Siemens is supplying the 140 3.6 MW wind turbines and also connecting the wind farm to the national grid. Siemens’ renewable energy project management team, based in Manchester, is driving the project. The team will be assisted by Siemens engineers based in Monkton, South Tyneside, who will be managing the engineering contract for the platform.
Worth a combined value of around €884 million, Siemens was awarded the Greater Gabbard contract in June last year. Renewable energy is an integral part of the Government’s longer-term aim of reducing CO₂ emissions by setting a target of generating 20 per cent of the UK’s electricity supply from renewable energy by 2020.
“Greater Gabbard will go a long way towards meeting the Government’s renewable energy targets and together with a number of domestic offshore wind farm projects helps position Siemens as the UK’s leading provider of offshore wind farms and offshore grid connections” says John Willcock, director of Siemens Energy Major Projects.
“Siemens continues to be a major employer in the North East, so securing a highly skilled partner in the region is a priority for us. Based in South Tyneside with the knowledge, skills and expertise to exceed the project’s challenging targets, McNulty is a natural partner. The project will not only provide an immediate stimulus to the local economy but also generate growth in an emerging sector which relies on the valuable skills of North East workers“ adds John.
Steve Keyworth, McNulty Offshore Construction’s managing director comments that “the project with Siemens marks a new era for our business, opening up huge opportunities in the renewable energy and nuclear industries globally, securing jobs in the region now and providing new job opportunities as the renewable energy sector evolves in the future”.
In October last year, Siemens awarded Heerema Hartlepool Limited an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for the first Greater Gabbard offshore substation platform, the company’s first EPC in the UK offshore wind energy sector.
Siemens employs over 2,500 people in the North East in the energy, industry and IT sectors with offices in Hebburn, Monkton, Heaton, Stockton and Durham.
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Notes to editors:
About Siemens in the UK
Siemens was established in the United Kingdom 166 years ago and now employs 18,402 people in the UK. Last year’s revenues were £3.7 billion. As a leading global engineering and technology services company, Siemens provides innovative solutions to help tackle the world’s major challenges, across the key sectors of energy, industry and healthcare. Siemens has offices and factories throughout the UK, with its headquarters in Frimley, Surrey. The company’s global headquarters is in Munich, Germany. For more information, visit www.siemens.co.uk
About McNulty Offshore Construction Ltd The company was originally established on the River Tyne in 1906 and entered the offshore industry by creating the first purpose built floating production facility in the UK in 1986. McNulty Offshore Construction Ltd developed into Europe's No. 1 FPSO/FPU topsides contractor. Offering a wide range of construction solutions and services to its clients, McNulty specialises in offshore fabrication including steel and pipe fabrication, subsea assemblies, electrical and instrumentation installation, commissioning, project and construction management. McNulty’s fabrication facility and deep water quay is located on the banks of the River Tyne in north east England. The company’s 600-strong workforce is drawn from the large base of traditional skilled labour in and around the River Tyne. In February 2005 McNulty Group acquired Aberdeen based Consafe Engineering Services Ltd, extending the company’s portfolio and scope of supply to the worldwide oil and gas industry. The Consafe McNulty Joint Venture Company provides design, procurement, fabrication, integration and commissioning of bespoke onshore and offshore living quarters, utility and process buildings. For more information, visit www.mcnultyoffshore.com
For more information, contact:
Lynn Hepple
PR Manager
Siemens Plc
lynn.hepple@siemens.com
Tel. +44 (0)191 495 3261
Mob: +44 (0)7921 246306
Steve Keyworth
Managing Director McNulty Group Holdings Limited
Tel: +44 (0) 191 401 5796
steve.keyworth@mcnultyoffshore.com