EDS has entered into a 15-year partnership agreement with Equitix – a leading investor, developer and long-term fund manager of core infrastructure and energy-efficiency assets in the UK and Europe.
Work involves the provision of O&M services on Equitix’s OFTO assets at Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm, located in Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK.
The challenge
Equitix required a team of multi-skilled engineers and technicians to provide a full turnkey solution for two offshore platforms, as well as the onshore substation and grid connection at the 500MW wind farm.
To avoid downtime and loss of revenue, a balance had to be struck between network availability and the application of an appropriate maintenance regime.
An innovative approach was required to meet the challenges presented by the project, as was the ability to simultaneously build and maintain a long-term partnership.
O&M services were required to manage Equitix’s offshore/onshore substation HV transmission assets, in addition to their offshore/onshore substation ancillary equipment.
The solution
EDS takes ownership of the entire asset management programme, and has designed a strategy that strikes a balance between robust maintenance and minimised downtime to ensure optimal asset availability.
EDS takes responsibility for maintenance outside of the company’s core capabilities, hiring third parties through robust vetting and approval procedures, before conducting an extensive induction and monitoring process.
The team monitor the network 24/7 from the EDS control centre in the event of any outages, and has access to a state-of-the-art marine management system, OWMS, to mobilise as needed.
The results and benefits
Any outages are quickly identified from the control centre, with engineers on standby 24/7.
Using the marine management system, OWMS, teams can be transported out to assets quickly and safely.
By utilising multi-skilled engineers who are qualified to work on various tasks, EDS has reduced the number of offshore visits, mitigating costs and environmental impact while also improving safety.