Belgian electricity transmission system operator Elia has awarded the contracts for the high voltage alternating current (HVAC) elements of the 3500MW Princess Elisabeth Island.
The HVAC cable contracts have been awarded to two consortiums, one comprising Belgian group Deme and Greek company Hellenic Cables (165 km) and a second consisting of Belgian firm Jan De Nul and Korean corporation LS Cable & System (165 km).
Each team will be responsible for delivering three 220kV offshore export cabling systems totalling 165 km.
The contract for HVAC substations has been awarded to the HSI consortium consisting of Belgian company Iemants (Smulders) and Dutch firms HSM Offshore Energy and IV-Offshore & Energy.
The HVAC equipment will form the connection point for receiving an initial part (2.1GW) of the electricity generated by wind farms in the Princess Elisabeth Zone and bringing it to the mainland.
The HSI Engineering, Procurement, Construction & Installation and Commissioning contract includes the further design and construction of four HVAC substations, two of which are 1050MW while two of which are 700MW.
Engineering, which also includes development of the layout and 3D model of all the MOG2 Transmission Assets located on the Energy Island, will be done from the Iv office in Papendrecht.
For prefabrication works Smulders will use its Belgian branches and HSM will use its Schiedam facilities, while final assembly will take place at the HSM Offshore Energy yard in Schiedam and at the Smulders yard in Vlissingen.
Deme will deploy one of its cable installation vessels, as well as several trailing suction hopper dredgers and jack-up vessels to install half of the project’s cables, which will be produced at the Hellenic Cables factory in Corinth, Greece.
Alexis Alexiou, CEO of Hellenic’s parent, Cenergy Holdings, said: “We look forward to executing the project safely and contribute to Belgium’s transition to a more sustainable energy future.”
The cables will be made during 2026-2027 with the transport and installation campaign planned for 2027.
Deme CEO Luc Vandenbulcke said: “Our expertise in cable installation, dredging, rock dumping, and marine infrastructure works combined with our modern and versatile fleet offers our customers an efficient, integrated solution.”
In the other consortium LS Cable is responsible for the design and production of the cables at its plant in South Korea, while Jan De Nul will provide transport, installation and protection of the cables by deploying its cable-laying vessels Connector and Willem de Vlamingh, as well as offshore support vessel Adhemar de Saint-Venant.
Trailing suction hopper dredgers of the Jan De Nul fleet will level the seabed before the cable-laying.
The installation will occur in 2028.
Wim Dhont, Manager Offshore Cables at Jan De Nul Group, said: “We are delighted to be awarded this landmark project further enhancing Jan De Nul Group’s position as the reference for constructing the offshore energy transition.”
The island, located some 45 km offshore, will be built on concrete caissons filled with sand and will house almost exclusively transmission infrastructure.
Deme, as part of the Belgian consortium TM Edison, secured the contract from Elia to construct the island in early 2023 and the first caissons for the energy island are scheduled to be immersed this year.