First Subsea installs cable connectors for Phase 2 of floating wind farm in Japan

First Subsea has concluded delivery of cable connectors at the Fukushima floating offshore wind farm demonstration project in Japan for its Phase 2 development.

Two connectors have been installed in the second phase to connect 22kV cables to the floating 66kV power substation of the plant.

The connections have been set up to prepare for the commencement of a 7MW wind turbine in Phase 3. This will be followed by another floating wind turbine in Phase 4 of the project.

First Subsea managing director John Shaw said: “In Phase 2 we’ve once again demonstrated the ease of installation of the cable connectors offshore.”

“The connections have been set up to prepare for the commencement of a 7MW wind turbine in Phase 3.”

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan has sponsored the floating pilot wind project.

The project is being developed by a Marubeni-led consortium. It is expected to be the largest wind farm located offshore from the coast of the Fukushima Prefecture.

As well as Marubeni, other partners in the consortium include the University of Tokyo, Mitsubishi, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Japan Marine United, and Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding. Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, Hitachi, Furukawa Electric, Shimizu, and Mizuho Information & Research are also partners.

The first phase of the project involved installation of two First Subsea cable connectors, which linked 22kV cable to a 2MW wind turbine and the substation.
A third cable connector was also set up at the time for linking a 66kV cable to the floating substation.