"Signal Films is an award winning film & media production company based in Barrow-in-Furness – a leading provider in the north-west for video and media services. They are regularly commissioned by government and national public and private sector clients to produce films and have produced documentary work for Channel 4." 

18 turbines commissioned
18 turbines have produced first power by mid-March.



All the turbines commissioned will need to pass tests where the turbines' ability to operate and produce individually is tested.

Monopile installation for Walney 2 is about to commence
On Friday the 18 March, the first shipment of monopiles from Rostock, Germany, arrived at the harbour in Barrrow and two days later the first load of transition pieces from Lubmin, Germany, followed.



On the site the monopiles, and especially the transition pieces, will be prepared for installation.



At the beginning of April, the first monopile will be plugged, lowered into the water and sailed out to sea, where the foundation installation vessel Svanen is expected to place the first monopile for Walney 2 on 7 April, weather provided.

Longer and heavier monopiles
As the water depth for Walney 2 is up to more than 29 metres, the monopiles are significantly longer and heavier than for Walney 1.



The monopiles will be 'hammered' as deep as up to 35 metres down into the seabed and reach a weight of around 800 tonnes. The maximum length of the monopiles is up to 68.4 metres.



This is probably the world's heaviest monopiles used for offshore turbine installation.

In order to cope with a monopile weight up to 800 tonnes, it has been necessary to bring in the heavy-lift installation vessel Svanen.



Goliath, who placed the monopiles for Walney 1, will return and this time take care of the installation of the transition pieces in Walney 2 and is expected to install the first transition piece around mid-April.

All installation of the 51 monopiles and transition pieces is scheduled to be completed mid-August.

Wind Transporter in operation in Barrow
Early December 2010, the first service vessel for Walney was delivered from the shipyard and the service vessel has now arrived in Barrow and is in regular use.



The service vessel uses a new floating pontoon and crane installation, which has been constructed alongside the existing dock wall On Ramsden Dock Road in Barrow in Furness, where the new operation and maintenance facilities for the Walney Offshore Windfarms are under construction.

 

Fire onboard the Pompei
Late February, a minor fire broke out onboard the Pompei when she was in port for repair works. The fire has caused smoke damage and has resulted in issues with her main engine. To solve these problems, the Pompei left Barrow on 13 March to get these issues solved.
The Pompei is placing armour stones for scour protection around the positions of the turbines and still needs to place stones around some 16 turbines in Walney 1. Pompei will return in September/October to finish the remaining 16 positions in Walney 1.

Walney 2 onshore cable
Onshore cable installation in Thornton near Blackpool is reaching the later stages with the last HDD (Horisontal directional drilling) in the public highway being carried out under the disused railway line, following which the remaining cable can be pulled.




Cable jointing continues at two other locations. The beach works have started with piling works near the sea wall and on the beach in preparation for installation of a steel pipe to protect the cable ducts in the event of future sea defence works.

More details on the onshore cabling for Walney 2 .