TenneT awards NRG contract for onshore cable connection of Hollandse Kust (West Beta) project

The award of this contract marks the continuation of the successful collaboration between TenneT and the consortium of contractors for the connection of offshore wind farms in the IJmond region. NRG is currently carrying out the final drillings from Velsen to complete the cable connection for the three offshore wind farms between the transformer station at Wijk aan Zee and the high-voltage substation along the A9 freeway in Beverwijk.

Appeal procedure by the Council of State

The work is expected to start sometime in the autumn of 2023. However, this depends on an ongoing appeal procedure at the Council of State. The hearing will take place on July 7, after which a decision is expected next fall. In order not to lose any valuable time in connecting offshore wind energy, TenneT has received permission from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Change to award this project component in advance.

Building on

This means NRG can start detailed engineering and drawing up work plans. The contractor can thankfully draw on the knowledge and experience of the past year. "We know the area and the people well, we have the know-how and the right equipment, and we have experience of techniques that have proved their worth over the past year,' says project manager Mark de Bruijn on behalf of NRG. "By working for this project we can build on our good relationships with the parties involved in the area."

Specialist work with an eye for the local community

TenneT is also pleased with the continued cooperation. Dick Vergoes Houwens, project manager for onshore cable on behalf of the grid operator, said: 'NRG's team did an excellent job with the earlier series of drillings under the dunes. This is unique, specialist work that demands extreme care. Despite various changes in the schedule, NRG did an excellent job thanks to their flexibility and commitment, and everything was completed on time with due regard for the local community.”

About Hollandse Kust (west Beta)

The offshore wind farm Hollandse Kust (west Beta) will have a capacity of 700 MegaWatt and will be put into operation in 2026. The Hollandse Kust (west Beta) offshore grid is the total grid connection from the Hollandse Kust (west Beta) offshore wind farm to the new transformer station at Wijk aan Zee. From there the power goes via underground cables to the high-voltage station along the A9 highway in Beverwijk. This high-voltage station is part of the national high-voltage grid (Noordring 380 kV).

The total project consists of:

• The offshore transformer platform: all wind turbines will be connected to this platform and the voltage level will be increased from 66 kiloVolt (kV) to 220 kV;
• The offshore 66 kV interlink cable between the platform for west Alpha and the platform for west Beta;
• Two 220 kV offshore cable systems to the transformer station. The cables will come ashore south of Wijk aan Zee;
• Expansion of the transformer substation being built for the Hollandse Kust (north) and (west Alpha) wind farms. At the transformer station, the power will be brought from 220 kV AC to 380 kV AC. From there, the power will be fed into the national high-voltage grid via underground 380 kV cables some ten kilometers further along the A9 highway.