Prysmian Sofia Offshore Wind Cable Deal
Prysmian Group has signed a preferred bidder agreement with RWE Renewables’ Sofia Offshore Wind Farm to deliver a turn-key high-voltage export cable system worth over €200 million. This long-term deal further strengthens Prysmian’s role in major offshore wind projects.
Submarine and land cable scope
Under the agreement, Prysmian will supply more than 440 km of ±320 kV submarine export cables with XLPE insulation and around 15 km of ±320 kV land cables with P-Laser insulation. The company will produce all submarine cables at its Centre of Excellence in Pikkala, Finland, while it will manufacture the land cables at its Gron plant in France.
In addition, Prysmian will use its Leonardo da Vinci cable-laying vessel, which it describes as its most capable and versatile ship for complex offshore projects. The company expects to complete commissioning by late 2024. To explore these technologies, visit Prysmian Group and RWE Renewables.
Sofia Offshore Wind Farm overview
The 1.4 GW Sofia Offshore Wind Farm sits about 195 km off the U.K.’s North East coast, in the shallow central North Sea area known as Dogger Bank. RWE identifies Sofia as its largest single offshore wind project under development and also its farthest-from-shore project so far.
Once Sofia begins operation—currently planned for 2025—the wind farm will generate enough renewable electricity to supply more than 1.2 million homes. In turn, it will make a significant contribution to the U.K.’s clean energy and decarbonization targets.
Grid infrastructure for the energy transition
Commenting on the agreement, Hakan Ozmen, EVP Projects BU at Prysmian, stresses the strategic importance of grid infrastructure for transmitting and distributing electricity from renewable sources. He explains that projects like Sofia help position Prysmian as a leading partner in the energy transition, connecting large offshore wind assets to onshore grids.
