Orsted hosted an online ceremony today (3rd) to celebrate the scheduled completion and operation for the two onshore substations of the first phase of the 900MW Greater Changhua Southeast and Southwest Offshore Wind Farm that is the largest wind farm in Taiwan.
Orsted announced at the end of April that the first wind turbine for the first phase of Greater Changhua had officially generated electricity, and the construction of onshore substations indicates that the onshore engineering for the wind farm is now complete. These two world-grade onshore substations serve as essential hubs in ensuring stable and clean power transmission to TPC’s grid from the Greater Changhua Offshore Wind Farm.
The onshore substations are located at the Changhua Coastal Industrial Park, and are completed by Star Energy, a subsidiary 100% reinvested by Taiwan Cogeneration Corporation, alongside Orsted. The substations also adhere by the highest global standard of QHSE (quality, health, safety, and environment) for the wind power industry.
Christy Wang, General Manager of Orsted Taiwan, commented that the company had worked with Star Energy and more than 10 local contractors over the past three years, and managed to build the first world-grade transmission center in Taiwan that conforms to the QHSE standard of the wind power industry on top of a barren land. This is a major achievement for Orsted, Star Energy, as well as all participating local suppliers and contractors, and the best example in successfully integrating European offshore wind power professions and local experience.
Wang pointed out that more than 80% of the staffs, including Orsted’s team as well as local suppliers and contractors, are local Taiwanese. The engineering also created approximately 1,000 job opportunities directly and indirectly.
This contract of power infrastructures worths more than NT$7 billion in investment comprises of two advanced substations and one 3.7km cable tunnel that ensures excellent ventilation and highest degree of protection for transmission cables. Orsted managed to avoid incidents for more than 1.7 million hours with Star Energy throughout the construction process.
Tsai Chin-fa, Chairman of Star Energy, pointed out that the collaboration with Orsted in building onshore substations and power transmission systems for the Greater Changhua Offshore Wind Farm is the first expansion of business to the offshore wind power realm for Star Energy under a comprehensive transformation. Through this partnership, the company is not only transformed in cogitation of realizing environmental safety measures, but also established remarkable partnerships with local SMEs, as well as encouraged these businesses in becoming actuators of green energy transformation for the industry chain.
(Photo source: Orsted)