General

Further equipment is required for the transmission of electrical energy that is generated by offshore wind turbines to the grid connection point at shore. This power engineering equipment usually installed on offshore substations or converter platforms, if applicable, form the basic infrastructure for power transmission to shore and local platform internal energy distribution. It therefore asks for high reliability and safe operation even during abnormal conditions. Risk of and exposure of human beings to hazards caused by faults in the electrical system or e.g. cloud discharge shall be reduced to a minimum. As a basis, electrotechnical equipment therefore shall comply with established technical standards and practices stipulated in publications of the International Electrotechnical Commission IEC.

Where the requirements for electrical equipment, facilities or special applications are not laid down in these Rules, agreement with GL shall be reached, wherever necessary, regarding the use of other Guidelines, regulations and standards. This may include other IEC publications or, e.g., recommendations by CIGRE. Nevertheless, additional standards of local authorities shall be applied whenever necessary.

Discrepancies or exceptions to the present rules will be assessed and granted by GL in each individual case.Deviations from the requirements within this Chapter may be approved where there are special reasons.

GL reserve the right to specify requirements additional to these rules where they are related to new systems or installations or where they are necessary because of new knowledge or operating experience.

Electrical installations shall be designed so that:

• the maintaining of normal operational and habitable conditions will be ensured without recourse to the emergency source of electrical power

• the operation of emergency equipment required for safety will be ensured under various defined emergency conditions

• the safety of personnel and units/installations from electrical hazards will be ensured and risks of injury to human life will be reduced to a minimum

• the integrity of equipment and installations will reach the expected life times in order to secure high investments

• high reliability is reached of the entire system