ScottishPower Renewables has installed the first two jacket foundations for the East Anglia ONE offshore windfarm in the Southern North Sea, over 50km from the Lowestoft coast. 102 will be installed in total.

Main Contractor Van Oord. using the new purpose-built Bokalift 1 vessel, successfully lifted the 840 tonne steel structures. The foundation jackets are 65 metres tall, and will eventually support the tower, blades and nacelle of the wind turbine.

Charlie Jordan, ScottishPower Renewables Project Director for East Anglia ONE, said: “It is a hugely impressive feat of engineering to lift nearly 900 tonnes of steel and place it with pinpoint precision in to the North Sea. It is a significant milestone for the project. This is one of the largest offshore windfarms ever to be built and good progress is being made in all areas. As well as the activity offshore, our onshore substation and underground cable route is also taking shape.”

Onshore and offshore work will continue at pace in the coming months, with plans for the first turbines to be installed in 2019. The project is scheduled to be fully operational during 2020.