Statkraft will take over responsibility as Operation and Maintenance (O&M) operator of Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm in January 2014. The current operator, Scira Offshore Energy Ltd, will remain as the legal entity while employees will be transferred to Statkraft. The joint venture company is owned 50/50 by Statkraft and Statoil.

Both owners of Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm, Norwegian energy companies Statoil and Statkraft, have the ambition to be industrial players in the offshore wind business. In order to realise this ambition Statoil and Statkraft have agreed to divide responsibility for operation of the two jointly owned North Norfolk offshore wind projects, Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm.

While Statkraft will be responsible for operating Sheringham Shoal, Statoil will take on the same responsibility at Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm which is under development. This will facilitate an efficient transfer of experience from the two projects to other Statkraft and Statoil operated projects.

The Norwegian renewable energy company Statkraft will take over operation of the 317MW wind farm on 5th January 2014 from Scira Offshore Energy Ltd. Scira has been responsible for operation of the new wind farm since earlier this year, and the owners want to transfer the operatorship ahead of next summer's expiry of the warranty period. However, Scira Offshore Energy Ltd will remain as the legal entity. Sheringham Shoal Power Plant Manager Jason Halsey, formerly Head of Operations in the UK for DONG Energy, and other employees working for Scira at Sheringham Shoal will be transferred to Statkraft.

Jason Halsey, Power Plant Manager at Scira Offshore Energy

"The operational effectiveness of Sheringham Shoal Windfarm will be maintained under the transfer of operatorship from Scira to Statkraft. I consider this a fantastic opportunity for our employees to transfer their excellent safety culture, dedicated attitude and considerable operating skills to a serious player in the future of Offshore Wind Energy - Statkraft"

Olav Hetland, Senior Vice President Offshore Wind at Statkraft, said:

"To build operational experience is an important step towards Statkraft's ambition to be an industrial player in offshore wind, and this is our first tangible move into operations of offshore wind. Scira has done an excellent job on operation and maintenance of Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm, and Statkraft wants the organisation to continue this outstanding work under our responsibility with Statkraft as the employer."

Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm comprises 88 turbines located between 17 and 28km off the Norfolk coast. The wind farm was officially opened by Secretary of State Ed Davey and the Crown Prince of Norway and Norwegian Ministers in September 2012.

Tags: Statkraft