Entr and Unitech Power Systems win electrical infrastructure study contract for Scotland’s 1.8 GW Bellrock Offshore Wind Farm
AI-madeAker Solutions’ consultancy arm Entr and its wholly owned subsidiary Unitech Power Systems have landed a contract from Nadara to run electrical infrastructure studies for the proposed 1.8 GW Bellrock Offshore Wind Farm, sitting 75 miles off the Aberdeenshire coast in Scotland. Nadara — one of Europe’s largest renewable-energy independent power producers — brought in both firms to help define an optimized electrical transmission concept for the floating offshore wind project.
Nadara awards electrical study contract for Bellrock wind farm
The contract pulls together two complementary players under the same corporate umbrella. Entr is the consultancy arm of Aker Solutions; Unitech Power Systems is its wholly owned subsidiary. Together, they’ll deliver electrical infrastructure studies for one of the most ambitious floating offshore wind projects currently in development in UK waters.
Bellrock sits 75 miles off Aberdeenshire — far enough from shore that floating turbine technology is required instead of the fixed-bottom foundations used in shallower water. At 1.8 GW of proposed capacity, the project is a significant bet on floating offshore wind’s role in the UK’s energy future. Nadara’s decision to commission these studies at this stage reflects a broader industry shift toward earlier, more rigorous technical planning.
Beyond procurement, the findings are expected to sharpen Bellrock’s overall electrical infrastructure concept and reduce both technical and financial risk.
What the studies will assess
The scope is wide. Entr and Unitech Power Systems will define a high-level electrical infrastructure concept covering the full transmission system — from offshore power generation all the way to the onshore grid connection point. Elements under review include inter-array cabling, offshore and onshore substations, export cables, and grid integration. Getting the design right early can prevent expensive changes down the road.
Multiple transmission configurations will be evaluated side by side. That comparative approach matters, because there’s rarely one obvious answer at this scale. The study is designed to surface real trade-offs rather than simply confirm a preferred option.
The division of labor between the two firms is intentional. Entr brings project execution experience and real-world data from Aker Solutions’ track record in offshore energy, while Unitech Power Systems contributes specialist electrical power engineering expertise — together covering both the practical and technical dimensions of the problem.
Purpose and expected outcomes of the study
The immediate goal is clarity. According to the companies, the study will deliver cost, schedule, and supply chain insights that Nadara can use to support procurement planning as Bellrock moves through its development stages.
Beyond procurement, the findings are expected to sharpen Bellrock’s overall electrical infrastructure concept and reduce both technical and financial risk. Electrical transmission is one of those areas where early decisions can have outsized consequences later — and large offshore wind projects carry real uncertainty in their early phases.
Dorthe Kirkeby, Vice President of Ocean and Wind at Entr, Aker Solutions, was direct about why this work matters now. “Early definition of the transmission system is essential to managing cost, schedule and technical risk on projects of this scale,” she said. The study, she added, aims to identify “a practical, optimised and future-ready concept for Bellrock.”
David Robertson, Portfolio Director at Nadara, framed it similarly. “This study is about making the right technical decisions early,” he said. “The work will help us assess the most robust and efficient transmission options, understand key cost and programme considerations, and build a stronger evidence base for future investment and procurement decisions.” The study is meant to establish a foundation — not just for the next design phase, but for the decisions that’ll determine whether and how Bellrock actually gets built.
Project status and next steps for Bellrock
Bellrock is still in early development, but it’s moving. The project’s Wind Farm Development Area consent application was submitted in April 2026 and is currently working through the determination process.
Alongside that regulatory pathway, work is continuing on several fronts simultaneously — engineering design, surveys, site selection, and stakeholder engagement are all ongoing for both the offshore and onshore transmission infrastructure. These parallel workstreams reflect just how complex it is to move a project this size through development.
Subject to the necessary consents and approvals, Bellrock is expected to advance through further transmission consenting, procurement preparation, and investment decision stages. The electrical concept study by Entr and Unitech Power Systems is designed to feed directly into that progression.
Floating offshore wind is widely seen as a key technology for tapping wind resources in deeper waters, and Bellrock has the potential to contribute meaningfully to Scotland and the UK’s renewable power targets. It could also support the growth of a floating offshore wind supply chain that still needs large-scale projects to mature and scale — making the outcome of this study relevant well beyond Nadara’s own portfolio.
The approval process is underway
Here’s what this contract announcement tells us. Nadara has engaged Entr and Unitech Power Systems to conduct electrical infrastructure studies for the 1.8 GW Bellrock Offshore Wind Farm, a floating offshore wind project located 75 miles off Aberdeenshire. The study will assess multiple transmission configurations — covering everything from inter-array cabling to onshore grid connection — with results feeding into cost estimates, procurement planning, and investment decisions. Bellrock’s consent application was submitted in April 2026 and is working through the approval process, with engineering and stakeholder work continuing in parallel.
Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.
