Prysmian Group, a company active in the energy and telecommunications cable systems sector, aims to further expand its presence in the offshore wind farm sector with an expanded range of products and services, which it will present at the 2017 edition of the Offshore Wind Energy, the most important exhibition and conference in the sector, scheduled in London from 6 to 8 June (stand N – J10).
In the light of the significant growth prospects of the offshore wind sector, Prysmian has decided to further strengthen its commitment to this strategic market with an investment plan which in 2016-2017 exceeds 60 million euros between expansions of cable production capacity and new assets for installing, monitoring and maintaining networks. "We intend to fully exploit our potential on the offshore wind market, becoming an undisputed leader capable of operating as a "one-stop-shop" for customers, transmission grid operators and developers" underlined Massimo Battaini, SVP Energy Projects of Prysmian group.
Prysmian supplies turnkey cable systems, ensuring a 360° EPCI (Engineering, Procurement, Construction & Installation) approach. The Group is able to offer integrated solutions and services, which include engineering, production, installation, monitoring/diagnostics and maintenance of cable systems. Thanks to three cable-laying vessels (Giulio Verne, Cable Enterprise and Ulisse), the widest range of state-of-the-art installation capacities and undergrounding machines (Sea Mole, Hydroplough, Otter and HD3 submarine plough) and the three plants specialized in production of submarine cables (Pikkala in Finland, Drammen in Norway, Arco Felice in Italy), the Group is ready to become the reference in the sector.
The Group has also recently announced the expansion of the capacity of the British production plant in Wrexham which will be able to produce both 33 kV and 66 kV submarine cable cores for inter-array cable connections for offshore wind farms, confirming the investment plan to further expand the business, support local employment and supply the next generation of UK and European offshore wind farms with UK manufactured cable. The new line will make it possible to build the connections that will transport the energy generated by the offshore wind turbines and subsequently feed it into the onshore electricity grid.
Prysmian will be present at Offshore Wind 2017 with a broad portfolio of products and services, which in particular includes the new 66 kV cable system for inter-array offshore wind networks which doubles the amount of energy transported compared to the 33 kV system as well as reducing the overall investment required for an offshore wind farm by up to 15%. Offshore Wind Energy 2017 coincides with a very important moment for the Group, which recently announced the completion of the Wikinger offshore wind farm ahead of schedule and the award of two new contracts for offshore wind farms in Germany (Merkur) and Denmark (Horns Rev 3). Prysmian was also recently awarded a contract worth over €300 million with Réseau de Transport d'Électricité (RTE) for the construction of submarine cable systems to connect three offshore wind farms with the French electricity grid.
