Project Description

Cordal Windfarm Substation

The Challenge

Cordal Windfarm in Co. Kerry involved the development of 28 No. 3.2 MW GE Turbines and associated electrical infrastructure. Working closely with Suir Engineering, NeoDyne was appointed as Electrical Designers for the Contestable Build 110kV Eirgrid and IPP Substation. Our responsibilities included electrical layout design; specification of transformers, switchgear and harmonic filters; planning of associated control and protection panels; and earthing and lightning protection. We also undertook grid code compliance studies for the wind farm, a pre-requisite to becoming operational.

Our Approach

We designed the Eirgrid 110 kV AIS substation for double busbar with an allowance for ten 110 kV bays. The design also consisted of a 120 MVA feeder to an IPP substation, a 63 MVA DSO transformer and eight 38 kV AIS bays for cable connection to remote windfarms. The IPP substation consisted of a 120 MVA transformer, harmonic filter, 33 kV windfarm switchgear and associated substation control and protection panels.

Our design activities included:

  • Electrical Layout Design

  • 110 kV, 38 kV and 33 kV Switchgear Specifications

  • 110/38 kV and 110/33 kV Transformer Specifications

  • Harmonic Filter Design

  • Control and Protection Panels Design

  • Windfarm 33 kV Cable Network Design

  • Eirgrid and IPP Substation Building LV design

  • Substation and Turbine Earthing Design

  • Lightning Protection Design

  • Insulation and Protection Coordination Design

  • Grid Code Compliance Studies and Sub-metering Design

  • Factory Acceptance Testing of Equipment

We used EPLAN, leading-edge electrical engineering software for the planning and documentation of the control and protection systems and CDEGS software for the earth potential rise and lightning protection study.

About Cordal Windfarm

Cordal Windfarm in Co. Kerry provides renewable energy from 28 GE wind turbines with a grid capacity of 90MW. Commissioned in 2017, the wind farm is currently operated by Statkraft and owned by Cubico Sustainable Investments, one of the world’s leaders in renewable energy.

Given NeoDyne’s long-standing expertise in substation design and renewable technologies, we were appointed Electrical Designers for the wind farm development project.

Customer Requirements

  • AIS and IPP Substation Electrical Design
  • Specification of transformers, switchgear and harmonic filters
  • Design of control and protection panels
  • Earthing and lightning protection
  • Grid Code Compliance

Challenges

  • Design of substation to fit within existing planning constraints
  • Design of harmonic filter to reduce harmonics from the windfarm
  • Use of “Point on Wave” (PoW) circuit breaker to overcome transformer energisation effects
  • Multiple registered market units requiring individual circuit sub-metering
  • Impact of change in site level to the electrical arrangement design

Outcome

  • Successful commissioning of the Cordal Windfarm
  • Completion of all electrical design activities for substation infrastructure
  • Installation of control and protection panels
  • Installation of substation earthing and lightning protection
  • Successful Factory Acceptance Testing
  • EirGrid Operational Certification

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