TenneT finishes 700 MW offshore grid connection
With Hollandse Kust (west Beta) completed five months early, TenneT finalises seven 700 MW grid links, adding 6.1 GW of offshore capacity to the Dutch grid.
Image for illustrative purposes
The Netherlands: TenneT has completed its 700 MW offshore grid connection programme with the delivery of Hollandse Kust (west Beta), marking the seventh and final project in a series that began in 2019. The milestone was reached five months ahead of schedule, after certification body DNV confirmed that the connection meets all high-voltage grid standards and is ready for operation.
Designated by the Dutch government as the official offshore grid operator in 2016, TenneT was tasked with linking offshore wind farms to the national high-voltage grid. Each “offshore socket” built by TenneT connects to the mainland through subsea cables, enabling the efficient transport of renewable electricity.
“With the rollout of the 700 MW program, we have demonstrated, together with our partners and the market, that we can move mountains,” says Marco Kuijpers, Director of Offshore at TenneT. “With grid readiness for Hollandse Kust (West Beta), we have now delivered all seven projects on time and budget, entirely in accordance with our plan. A great milestone for the energy transition,” he concludes.
The Hollandse Kust (west Beta) connection will support the upcoming OranjeWind wind farm, developed by RWE and TotalEnergies, with a capacity of 795 MW. Once operational in 2026, it will produce around 3 TWh of electricity annually, enough to power a city the size of Amsterdam.
TenneT partnered with the Equans/Smulders consortium for the construction of the latest offshore platforms in the Netherlands and Belgium. The grid operator emphasised the importance of long-term partnerships to deliver projects efficiently and sustainably.
By 2028, TenneT’s 700 MW programme will provide 6.1 GW of installed capacity in the Dutch part of the North Sea. The next phase, the 2 GW Programme, will expand this to 21 GW by 2032, using direct current technology to transmit electricity from more distant offshore sites with lower energy losses.
“The new 2 GW standard allows us to bring more power ashore using fewer cables and platforms, reducing environmental impact while securing a clean, stable, and independent energy future,” said Martin Gelling, Financial Project Director at TenneT.
Source: TenneT
#Equans/Smulders consortium#Hollandse Kust#Marco Kuijpers#Martin Gelling#North Sea#offshore wind#OranjeWind wind farm#RWE#Tennet#The Netherlands#TotalEnergies