Vattenfall to start work on Kentish Flats extension

Contractors Bohlen & Doyen will carry out work this month to prepare the seabed for the laying of the cables to the 49.5MW North Sea project.

The company will use a water jet tool to clear the area of seabed along the route for the cables. This will allow the contractor to lay the cables more easily from next May, when the work is scheduled to start.

"This work is being carried out early to ensure that any obstructions along the sea bed are dealt with to avoid delay to the project at a later stage," Vattenfall said.

During the same period, concrete mattresses will be laid in order to prevent any damage to cables belonging to the existing Kentish Flats and London Array offshore projects. Subsea Protection Systems has been chosen to supply the concrete mattresses.

The project will feature 15 Vestas V112-3.3MW turbines, and is expected to go online in 2016.