The project is subject to Marine Scotland and Scottish Ministers processing the planning application by 31 March 2017. Dounreay Trì has also entered into an agreement with the Highland port of Scrabster, near Thurso, which will service the facility. If Scottish Ministers approve the project, it will create 7 full time jobs and support many other jobs locally ranging from the Harbour Authority itself, through to fuel suppliers, cranage and other supply chain activities.

The prototype facility would put Scotland at the forefront of developing this innovative technology which can be deployed in deep water rather than just in the shallower waters, such as those off the East Coast, as at present. The expansion of this new technology could also present a major opportunity for Scottish manufacturers as this award to Global Energy Group’s Nigg Energy Park highlights the capability and capacity of these world-class deepwater facilities. Unlike more conventional offshore wind structures, these wind farms will be entirely assembled in the construction yard and then towed into position. This would certainly open up an enormous market potential. The twin turbine project will be capable of generating 10MW of electricity, enough to power around 8,000 homes. By opening up the deeper waters off the North and West Coast of Scotland the new floating wind farms can make a significant contribution to helping Scotland meet its renewable energy targets.

Commenting on the award of the contract to Global Energy Group, Marcus Thor, Project Director for Dounreay Trì Limited said, “We are delighted to award the construction contract for such an innovative project being installed in Scotland to a Scottish company. It certainly has great potential to deliver both renewable energy and jobs for Scotland. Whilst we await the outcome of our planning applications, as and when they are approved, this will place Scotland at the forefront of floating offshore wind production worldwide.”

Mr Ian Cobban, Executive Vice President, Capital Projects, for Global Energy Group commented, “we are very pleased to have secured this construction contract for this innovative floating offshore wind device with deep water capability. We have the right experience and facilities to fully support the contract requirements and once planning is confirmed we envisage fabrication works will commence in Summer 2017, with assembly works within Nigg Energy Park’s Dry Dock facility through to the first half of 2018. The main floating structure will be around 190 m by 100 m including columns of 30 m height, making it the largest structure to be loaded out of our facility in recent years. This contract win highlights our ability to diversify our work into many different areas. At a time when we have been going through a difficult period with job losses, this will certainly provide much needed additional jobs for us and the local supply chain.”

Commenting on the agreement with Scrabster, Simon Tuchewicz, Project Operational & Maintenance Manager for Dounreay Tri said, “Dounreay Tri are delighted to enter into this Memorandum of Understanding with the Scrabster Harbour Trust for the development of the port into the Project Maintenance Hub. Scrabster Harbour is an excellent facility, with great local infrastructure and support services that we believe can fully meet the Operation and Maintenance requirements over the 25-year Project life. Dounreay Tri are excited about this announcement and believe it will be mutually beneficial to both parties and demonstrates the commitment Dounreay Tri has to the local community.’

The Scrabster Port Manager Sandy Mackie, said, “Scrabster Harbour Trust is delighted that Dounreay Tri wish to establish an operation at Scrabster. Scrabster is ideally suited to support their operations and maintenance needs. We look forward to working with the company to deliver a successful project that will benefit the port and local economy.”

For Further information contact: Simon James (for Dounreay Trì) 07984 493071 or Alastair Kennedy (for Global Energy Group) 01463 725460.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

An impression of the Dounreay Trì facility is attached to this press release.

The wind farm will be deployed in Scottish Territorial Waters approximately 9km off Dounreay, Caithness in the summer of 2018. In order to proceed the application to Marine Scotland and Scottish Ministers must be processed by 31 March as the Renewable Obligation Certificate level required is only available to projects approved by that date.

The Project consists of:

A two turbine offshore wind farm with a total installed capacity of 10 MW

A single export cable to bring the power to shore

The associated onshore electrical infrastructure

The main offshore components are:

Two offshore wind turbines of 5MW

A floating foundation platform

Mooring lines or chains

Drag-embedment anchors

One cable, buried, to bring the renewable electricity ashore

Scour protection for anchors and the export cable, where necessary

The onshore infrastructure components are:

A cable landfall, west of the Dounreay nuclear facility

The onshore cable shall be buried to a depth of approximately 1m, subject to ground conditions

A substation or switchgear to transfer power to the grid, at, or near, the existing Dounreay substation.

For more information visit

www.hexicon.eu

About the Global Energy Group

The Global Energy Group sells a range of services associated with the operation, maintenance and construction of critical assets in the natural resource sectors. These include assets used for drilling, producing and processing oil and gas reserves, as well as renewable power such as Nuclear, Hydro, Offshore Wind and Tidal developments. The Group also supports non-energy infrastructure including water/utilities and onshore mining. The Group employs over 3,000 people worldwide, and has enjoyed a series of accolades to mark its meteoric growth since 2005. In 2011 Global completed the purchase of the former North Sea Oil fabrication facility at Nigg, on the Cromarty Firth; a key strategic site for the energy industry in Scotland and one of the largest facilities of its kind in Europe.

For more information visit:

www.gegroup.com