Offshore transformer exchange support for Rhyl Flats Wind Farm

Ventus Energy provided offshore HV system support for Rhyl Flats Wind Farm, supporting the transformer exchange project from mobilisation and preparation through to testing, commissioning and energisation

Project overview

Client: Rhyl Flats Wind Farm
Services: End-to-end offshore HV support for transformer exchange works
Location: Liverpool Bay, North Wales coast
Project lead
Client contact: Tom Davies, Operations Engineer
Duration: 10 days
Completed: April 2026

The brief

Rhyl Flats Wind Farm required an experienced, high voltage partner that could mobilise quickly to support the last-minute delivery of an offshore transformer exchange. Ventus Energy was appointed to provide turnkey HV system support, coordinating personnel, specialist equipment and offshore delivery requirements from preparation through to final testing, commissioning and energisation.

Challenges

As a last-minute operational decision, the offshore transformer exchange required Ventus to respond quickly and support a complex scope within a short lead time, including:

Mobilising competent HV engineers at short notice
Securing and preparing specialist transformer testing equipment
Coordinating personnel, logistics and equipment readiness within a tight timeframe
Supporting offshore planning to enable safe and efficient project delivery
Maintaining progress across the project schedule despite time pressures

Solution

Ventus delivered a turnkey offshore HV support package from mobilisation and preparation through to final testing, commissioning and energisation, including:

Providing HV jointing and transformer testing services
Supporting safety from the system throughout the works
Managing HV system commissioning and final connections
Providing project management support across the offshore delivery phase
Supporting energisation associated with the completed transformer exchange

Outcome

With the required HV personnel, specialist test equipment and project support mobilised at short notice, Ventus delivered a dependable and flexible service, keeping the offshore transformer exchange on track through each stage of project delivery. The team worked closely with all parties involved to coordinate offshore activity, support testing and commissioning and enable energisation works to be completed safely.

The project was completed successfully, with strong collaboration between all parties involved. Our flexibility and offshore HV experience helped the works progress efficiently across all stages of the project, despite the short lead time.

"We were approached with just under two weeks' notice to provide specialist HV support for a jack-up campaign, enabling RWE to take advantage of a last-minute slot to complete a transformer exchange. Despite the tight turnaround, the team responded quickly and delivered a high standard of support throughout. This project is a great example of what can be achieved through teamwork, flexibility and clear ownership, and I'm proud of how the team helped deliver a safe and successful outcome for the client."

Peter Magill

Operations and Maintenance Engineer at Ventus Energy

“This project highlights the strength of the wider RTS Group and Ventus’ ability to deliver complex HV projects as a single integrated service, from safety management and testing through to commissioning and return to service.”

Alastair Symington

Divisional Head of Asset Management at Ventus

“From our perspective, the support we received from Ventus on this project was invaluable. Once again, Ventus demonstrated great flexibility by providing highly skilled and experienced personnel at short notice to deliver the transformer exchange. From preparation via CTV, through testing and support on the JUV, to the rebuild and final connections, every stage was managed and delivered to a very high standard. Thank you to you and the team once again. We look forward to working on similar projects together again, hopefully with a little more time available in the lead-up to the next one.”

Tom Davies

Operations Engineer at RWE, Rhyl Flats Wind Farm

Benefits

A key benefit of working with Ventus was the ability to quickly access experienced HV personnel, specialist test equipment and reliable project support within a short lead time.

As part of the wider RTS Group, Ventus acted as a single delivery partner throughout the campaign, providing one point of responsibility for HV safety management, specialist testing, commissioning and energisation activities. This integrated approach helped reduce interfaces, simplify project delivery and allowed the client to focus on the wider transformer exchange campaign, knowing the HV scope was being managed from mobilisation through to return to service.

By taking ownership of the scope and coordinating the required personnel, equipment and offshore delivery requirements, Ventus provided an integrated service, helping the works progress competently. This gave the client confidence that the HV elements of the transformer exchange were being managed by an experienced and reliable offshore delivery partner.