Initial installation of Rhyl Flats wind farm completed 

The main foundation works at Rhyl Flats Offshore Wind Farm, which is npower renewables' second major offshore wind farm in the UK, have been completed on schedule. The company said this was achieved despite the challenges of the weather, particularly unsettled throughout June and July.

The end of the main foundation works also marks the start of the electrical offshore cabling works.

Project manager Gareth Penhale said, "Construction of Rhyl Flats is progressing according to planand the laying of the cables is a very important step in the delivery of this major renewable energy project."

Laying of scour protection and cable tubes will continue at the site of the offshore foundations, throughout the construction of the turbine towers and Nacelles (the hub and blades), which is due to take place during autumn 2008.

The first turbines are expected to start generating by the end of November 2008 and project completion is anticipated in July 2009, depending on weather and progress.

The electrical offshore cabling works will begin with a three-week phase of cable laying from the beach area near Towyn out to three of the recently completed foundations at the wind farm site. Part of the beach works involves connecting the offshore cables to the onshore electrical distribution network.

The final phase of the offshore cable works involves laying cables between the other 22 foundations. This will start immediately after the beach to offshore cable lay phase. The works will mostly be carried out by the 100-metre long barge AMT Explorer.

Once the cable lay works are complete and all 25 foundations are connected, this will allow the 90 megawatts (MW) of green power, enough for approximately 61,000 homes, to be brought onshore every year and fed into the local distribution network.

Rhyl Flats, which is five miles off the North Wales coast at the eastern end of Constable Bank, will comprise 25 turbines.