According to Proserv, the company will utilise its Electro Cable Guard (ECG) system to identify signs of transmission cable failure far earlier, allowing proactive measures to be carried out to avoid costly outages.
Under a contract with DEME, Proserv will deploy its proprietary technology at the 1.2 GW Dogger Bank C project, enhancing asset reliability through earlier failure detection and prevention.
Using passive electrical sensors to monitor inter-array cables, supplied by Hellenic Cables, and terminations, ECG is said to deliver early fault detection that traditional systems overlook, transforming maintenance strategies and strengthening resilience in offshore operations.
It works by permanently and synchronously monitoring the combined effect of electrical and mechanical stresses on power cables and terminations to identify failure precursors far earlier, providing real-time insights into transmission system health.
“This latest evolution of our ECG system offers substantial cost savings benefits to developers and operators, addressing the widespread issue of cable failures, which account for approximately 80% of wind-farm related insurance claims. Unlike conventional methods, our solution embeds passive optical electrical sensors directly within terminations, eliminating the need for additional power and telecoms infrastructure at each termination point,” said Paul Cook, Proserv’s Vice President of Renewables.
The company’s ECG is currently being deployed at Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B, as well as Hywind Scotland, the world’s first floating offshore wind farm, and Hywind Tampen, with additional projects in the pipeline.
The Dogger Bank C contract will be project managed, engineered, and delivered by Proserv’s Great Yarmouth-based team, in addition to work being carried out at the wind farm’s A and B phases.
Located 130 kilometres off the Yorkshire coast, Dogger Bank Wind Farm is being built in three phases with 277 turbines in total – 95 at both Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B, and 87 at Dogger Bank C.
Set for completion in 2027, the project, owned by a consortium of SSE Renewables, Equinor, and Vårgrønn, will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm, powering six million UK homes with clean energy annually.