Discover how ONRG provides essential high-voltage services like consultancy, technical project management, operations and control, and electrical safety training that keep people safe and help to keep the lights on.
In 2009, Chris Emmins set out to break into the wind industry as an individual consultant. He was responsible for the maintenance contract at St Pancras International before winning contracts with Gunfleet Sands and London Array offshore wind farms.
Based in Buxhall, Suffolk, his company ONRG has since seen considerable expansion thanks to its specialist services for high-voltage networks, substations and offshore transmission systems (OFTOs).
ONRG delivers high-voltage services for ScottishPower Renewables’ East Anglia ONE as part of its strategic partnerships with other local service providers, ensuring that electricity generated by its 102 turbines enters the National Grid at Bramford.
ONRG provides electrical engineering, fault finding and asset maintenance and operations, utilising its Senior Authorised Persons (SAPs) who are available 24/7 for outage assistance, project management and condition monitoring. The commissioning and de-energisation of wind farms is also part of its key deliverables.
“We’ve collaborated to form a service offering that the market needs,” says operations director Chris. The company recently launched a new website, which showcases both existing and new service offerings – including overseas expansion.
ONRG has a presence not just in the UK and Europe but also in Taiwan and, more recently, the United States, where its Design Build Operate service is available to serve onshore, offshore and the emerging battery storage sectors. Its training model is being used to upskill teams at home and abroad in Taiwan, both virtually and in-person.
Delivering offshore energy safely and efficiently depends on high-voltage engineers. The company’s Performance Assessment Training Hub (PATH) develops the skills of individuals so that they can become senior electrical engineers.
“With our holistic high-voltage training model, not only can we train someone up, but we can also deal with client procedures to make the skill set required locally more obtainable,” Chris says.
ONRG is also branching out into apprenticeships and university placements. “We recruit for attitude, not experience. Even if someone has never worked in wind before, the passion to learn is so much more valuable. Mix this with the experience of becoming authorised and you have a great team.”
It also provides essential technical project management.
“We have managed most tasks from digging the ground up for earthing systems and energising a substation in the middle of a farmer’s field to health and safety compliance and ensuring accessibility.
“We look after, manage and maintain the electrical and mechanical equipment in line with the operational philosophy of the wind farm or HV network,” Chris explains. “There is a set of rules that allow you to work with that equipment safely, but those rules do not tell you how. You need the experience, expertise and authorisation to do that.”
That’s where ONRG comes in.
“Our team is made up of SAPs with industry-leading experience able to operate on the National Grid, various OFTO and generator networks and with District Network Operator (DNO) companies.”
The company also has an engineer at East Anglia ONE and its own control room in Buxhall, which enables ONRG to operate each project as needed. Chris says that its custom-made service is project-driven and developed to ensure each customer’s requirements are delivered, which is key in the energy sector.
“Our service is bespoke to what each client needs in the ever-changing dynamics of the industry. There is no truly common way of energising a wind farm. Each one is different. If you take the operational philosophy from one project and apply it to another, it won’t work.”
In the master plan for a previous project, four high-level resources needed to complete the job were not available. “So, we restructured our procedures on how we would operate,” Chris says. “It’s about finding ways through the challenges with bespoke processes and solutions, while ensuring full compliance with the electrical and mechanical safety rules.
“As a small business, we can be agile and adapt to what the client needs while maintaining the highest levels of safety. With that comes improved efficiency and cost savings.”
Today, Chris says the company provides end-to-end solutions for the design, build and operation of high-voltage networks, substations and associated equipment from before construction through to operations. This enables ONRG to champion the energy transition and the local region.
“We believe in the East Coast. We want to be close to the community, give back to the community and employ in the community. ONRG is open for business.”
For more information, please visit onrg.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article