Energinet has completed grid connection works for the 1000MW Thor offshore wind farm off the west coast of Denmark.
The Danish transmission operator said it has finished on time despite delays caused by weather, environmental approvals, and the war in Ukraine.
Electricity from the project, being built by RWE in the North Sea, will feed into the national grid via a new hub at Idomlund and serve up to one million homes.
“We are now ready with our part of the project, so that we can help the green electricity out into the country,” said Energinet chief operating officer Søren Dupont Kristensen.
Power will be delivered from offshore via two 220kV substations at Volder Mark and Idomlund and a 30km twin cable system, seven kilometres of which were drilled underground due to environmental restrictions.
“The cables are buried in the ground… but electricity connections are absolutely crucial for us to create an electricity system with more renewable energy,” said chief project manager Martin Hinrichsen.
He said stork nesting restrictions and a late 2022 approval meant Energinet had no flexibility in its timeline and had to carry out 264 drillings to protect habitats.
“I am really proud of the great effort that the entire team has made,” Hinrichsen said.
Construction began in January 2023. The project involved moving 95,000 cubic metres of soil and laying 150 cable drums each weighing 25 tonnes.
Idomlund is one of Denmark’s largest substations, spanning 172,500m². The 220kV Thor section covers 65,500m².
The offshore wind farm, located more than 20km from shore, is expected to start generating in 2026, with full commissioning due by end-2027.