Van Oord wins Gemini EPC

NETHERLANDS: Van Oord has won the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract to build the 600MW Gemini project for a consortium led by Northland Power.

by David Weston 16 May 2014

Van Oord's new Aeolus jack up vessel will be used on Gemini

Van Oord will supply and install the projects foundations, substations, cables and associated infrastructure as well as the 150 Siemens 4MW turbines.

The Gemini project is located 85 kilometres from the Dutch coast in the North Sea.

Construction is due to begin this year, with Van Oord expecting a completion date in early 2017.

The company's new jack-up vessel Aeolus and the cable-laying vessel Nexus, currently being built in Romania, will be used at the Gemini project.

Canadian energy firm Northland Power is the main shareholder in the Gemini consortium, with a 60% stake. German manufacturer Siemens owns 20%, while 10% stakes belong to Van Oord and HVC, a joint venture of 48 Dutch municipalities and six water regulatory authorities.

In April, utility company Delta signed an off-take balance and services agreement to buy the power produced by Gemini.