Marine construction specialist Seacore Ltd had won a contract worth over E7.5 million for the construction of 30 large-diameter seabed foundations and to build and install a 50m high meteorological mast for an offshore wind farm. The mast and foundations are for the 60 MW North Hoyle off-shore project to be located between 8 km and 11 km off the coast of Rhyl, North Wales. This is one of 18 sites identified for development around the British Isles. The project will be operated by National Wind Power. The steel masts for the wind farm will be 4m in diameter and between 54m and 63m high. Each will weigh between 240t and 275t and will support a 2 MW wind turbine with an 80m diameter, three-blade rotor. Hub height will be 70m above sea level. Power from the project will be supplied to the national grid. The main contract for construction of the wind farm was awarded to a consortium of Vestas-Celtic Wind Technology and Mayflower Energy Ltd. Seacore will work with the former. It will operate from an eight-legged jack-up platform in 12m of water. Work is due to start in February 2003; the wind farm is scheduled to enter service in the autumn of that year. NWP has recently acquired consent for the project.
The UK government has awarded contracts for the management of UK assistance to a portfolio of projects addressing the nuclear legacy of the former Soviet Union. Beneficiaries were BNFL, PE International Consulting Ltd and RWE Nukem Ltd. The projects involve providing technical assistance to the department of trade and industry’s nuclear safety programme, the development of non-weapons-related employment in closed nuclear cities, management of spent nuclear fuel in northwest Russia and the dismantling of an early generation nuclear submarine. The UK government has committed up to £500m over ten years to support the G8 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Material of Mass Destruction. £56m is to be contributed by the end of 2004.
• The National Grid Co has placed a contract with Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) to act as client’s representative for an upgrading scheme. The project will involve work at over one hundred high voltage substations across England and Wales. Work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2005. PB will audit, monitor and report on design and commissioning.
