Amprion has begun construction work on the German island of Norderney for the 2GW BalWin1 and BalWin2 offshore wind grid connections.
At the construction site area of Am Leuchtturm, the grid operator will carry out horizontal drilling so that the power cables can be laid under the island.
Amprion has used the area located around 600 metres east of the Norderney lighthouse since 2022 to carry out four horizontal drillings, for protective pipes to be installed under the island, into which the power cables for the DolWin4 and BorWin4 offshore grid connections will later be pulled.
From 6 January, Amprion will expand the existing construction site area eastwards for BalWin1 and BalWin2 and is preparing for drilling during the summer months of 2025 and 2026.
“By setting up the construction site area early, we can keep a large part of the material transport out of the peak tourist season.
“In addition, this gives us more time for drilling in the tight construction window in summer,” said Amprion project spokesman Stefan Sennekamp.
The drilling will be carried out between mid-July and the end of September for nature and coastal protection reasons.
In 2025, drilling will begin in the south into the mudflats, and in 2026 drilling will begin in the north towards the beach.
While the previous offshore grid connections can transmit 900MW, BalWin1 and BalWin2 are 2GW each, requiring three instead of two cables.
“In total, we will drill six times towards the south and six times towards the north. It is therefore all the more important that the preparatory construction measures are already completed by the start of the construction window,” said Sennekamp.
BalWin1 and BalWin2 will be installed largely parallel to each other on both land and sea.
They will pass under the island of Norderney and reach the coast in the area of Hilgenriedersiel.
On the land-side part of BalWin1 and BalWin2, around 205 km and 215 km of underground cable will be laid.
In order to reach their respective grid connection points in Wehrendorf (BalWin1) and Westerkappeln (BalWin2), the projects will separate on the last part of the route.