EirGrid, Ireland’s electricity system operator, has announced its endorsement of the appointment of Helvick Head Offshore Wind DAC as the official developer of the new offshore wind farm in the Tonn Nua area of southern Ireland. This award came as a result of the recent ORESS Tonn Nua auction, administered by EirGrid on behalf of the Department of Climate, Energy and Environment (DCEE).
The selected company is a partnership between ESB (Electricity Supply Board) and the Danish company Ørsted, one of the world leaders in offshore wind energy. offshore wind energy.
Supply capacity for almost one million households
The Tonn Nua wind farm will have an installed capacity of 900 megawatts (MW), which, according to EirGrid, will supply clean energy to nearly one million homes across the country, contributing significantly to the national goal of covering 80% of the electricity supply with renewable sources by 2030.
The development area is part of the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (SC-DMAP), a key initiative of the Irish Government to manage the growth of marine marine renewable energy.
Strategic grid connection: a central role for EirGrid
As part of this development, EirGrid will undertake the development of the infrastructure necessary to connect the offshore wind farm to the national power grid. The work includes:
- Offshore substation platforms in the Tonn Nua area
- Submarine cables to onshore connection points
- Onshore substations in Cork, Waterford and Wexford
- Subway and overhead interconnections to the existing network
A roadmap to Ireland’s energy future
The development of the Tonn Nua area is the first within the SC-DMAP, and its implementation will serve as a model for future expansions in other coastal areas. With this milestone, Ireland strengthens its position as a benchmark for renewable energy generation in Europe. renewable energy generation in EuropeThe project is the first of its kind to be implemented within the SC-DMAP, and will serve as a model for future expansions in other coastal areas.
For EirGrid, the project represents one of the cornerstones of its vision to modernize the country’s energy infrastructure and meet medium- and long-term climate commitments.
Source: EirGrid