Scottish Supply Chain
EDF Renewables and ESB are committed to using Scottish suppliers for NnG and we have a track record of doing this already. Alongside NnG’s tier one contractors we are confident that the Scottish supply chain can play a big part in supporting delivery of the project.
We are working closely with our tier one preferred suppliers to encourage them to use Scottish suppliers for tier two work packages. Very few developers take this approach and work as closely with their contractors as we do in a bid to use local firms in the supply chain.
In March 2020, the NnG project team held four supply chain events in East Lothian, Fife, Dundee and Aberdeen. These events were a resounding success with over 450 members of the Scottish supply chain attending what was one of the biggest series of events like this to have ever been held in Scotland. The tier one contractors gave a comprehensive overview of the scope of work to be delivered throughout the project’s construction and highlighted potential opportunities available to the local supply chain. We intend to host more events like these.
The Scottish supply chain are already playing an important role in the construction of NnG.
Eyemouth Harbour
Following a local consultation event in January 2020, NnG and Eyemouth Harbour Trust submitted a joint planning application to Scottish Borders Council for the offshore wind farm’s Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Base. This has since been approved.
The NnG project team is working closely with the local community to establish Eyemouth Harbour as the modern base for servicing and maintenance of NnG over the 25-year lifetime of the wind farm, bringing a further boost to the local economy in the Scottish Borders and to the offshore wind industry in Scotland.
The O&M base will be built on land owned by Eyemouth Harbour Trust, near the entrance to the harbour, creating jobs and opportunities for local businesses to support the wind farm.
Work carried out from the O&M base will include safety inspections, servicing of equipment located within the turbines, inspections of the blades, foundations and electrical cables as well as repairs and engineering improvements.
Port of Dundee
The 54 wind turbine generators (WTG) will be supplied by Siemens Gamesa and assembled at the Port of Dundee, which will be the marine hub for construction of the wind farm.
The Port of Dundee is ideally placed for NnG’s construction phase and sits within the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Renewables East Enterprise Area.
The Port of Dundee will also be a loading harbour for the project’s wind turbines when Fred Olsen Windcarrier deliver transportation and installation of the WTGs offshore in 2022.
The Port of Dundee has six berths and has invested £10m on the installation of a 300m quay extension which features the UK’s strongest heavy lift facility, specifically designed to equip the port to handle the large-scale loads demanded during offshore wind turbine installation work.