| Work Detail |
Belgian grid operator Elia Group announced on Wednesday that the first two of 23 concrete caissons had been installed at Prince Elizabeth Energy Island in the North Sea. Elia said it took precise planning to position the 22,000-tonne blocks, each of which are 58m long, 28m wide and up to 32m high. The caissons were constructed in the port of Vlissingen and each were towed by four tugs some 100km across the Western Scheldt and the North Seas. They were sunk on location, and work is now underway on filling them with sand ballast and reinforcing them with rubble. The installation process took about 24 hours to complete. Elia called the operation a milestone. “It also demonstrates the expertise of Belgian companies in complex marine engineering works,” the company added. “In the coming months, the east side of the island will first be completed, after which work will begin on the south side. The speed of progress depends entirely on weather conditions.” When all the caissons are complete, the island will be fitted with equipment to transmit electricity generated by some 3.5GW of future offshore turbines to the Belgian grid. It will also act as a relay for other wind energy zones in the North Sea. |
