Blyth based JDR Cable Systems to supply dynamic cables to EolMed floating wind turbines

JDR Cable Systems (JDR), the global subsea cable supplier, will supply, test and terminate the 66kV dynamic inter array cables (IAC) for renewable energy producer Qair’s project in the south of France.

Located 18km off the coast in the Occitanie region, the Eolmed pre-commercial 30MW project will be connected to the French Electricity Transmission Network (RTE), providing approximately 100 million kWh per year of power – equivalent to the electrical consumption of 50,000 inhabitants.

It will achieve this through three wind turbines anchored to the seabed in a water depth in a range of 60 metres.

JDR will design and manufacture the 66kV dynamic cables, with the cable cores being produced at TFK’s Bydgoszcz plant in Poland.

The assets will be transported for final assembly and testing at JDR’s state-of-the-art facility in Hartlepool.

Bourbon Offshore Gaïa will be responsible for the transport and installation of the cables and accessories between each of the 10MW floating wind turbines and Eolmed floating electrical hub.

John Price, sales director at JDR, said: “This project underscores our trusted capabilities in the burgeoning floating offshore wind sector, having recently worked on Eoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion’s floating wind project.

"As the market leader in dynamic cable technology, and with extensive experience in the wind sector, this contract is an opportunity for our expert team to provide their full suite of skills and knowledge, delivering complete system analysis, manufacturing, and testing of the dynamic cables.

"With water depths getting deeper and analysis becoming more complex, innovations in dynamic cables such as ours will be critical to meet rising demand.”

Once the cables have been installed, JDR’s teams will be on-site to test and terminate the IAC system. The manufacture and delivery of the cables will be completed in the second half of 2024.

The contract comes as part of France’s aim to have 40GW of offshore wind capacity in operation by 2050, with the French President stating that this would constitute around 50 projects. Four in the 8 first tenders have pre-selected Qair.