Offshore grid connection Hollandse Kust (west) Alpha has received its “grid readiness” certificate three months ahead of schedule.
After extensive preparation and three years of construction on land and sea, the grid connection for Hollandse Kust (west) Alpha is officially ready for commissioning.
This means that developer Ecowende (Shell-Eneco) can connect the turbines for its 760MW Hollandse Kust (west) project, which will be located about 50 km off the coast of Egmond aan Zee, to grid operator TenneT’s “socket at sea”.
Whereas completion was scheduled for the first quarter of 2024, TenneT received the grid readiness certificate from DNV before the holidays in 2023.
This makes the grid connection of the “socket at sea” to the national electricity grid officially ready for use after a series of extensive tests.
Via the cable connection coming ashore at Heemskerk/Wijk aan Zee, power has been put on this new part of the grid from the high-voltage substation along the A9 near Beverwijk.
“With this, we finished three months ahead of schedule,” TenneT interface and system integration manager Anne-Marie Taris said.
She added: “A fine achievement that the Equans/Smulders contractor combination can also be proud of.
“Earlier than planned, grid connection number six has now been added with Hollandse Kust (west) Alpha.”
Last September, the 3600-ton superstructure (topside) of the offshore socket was placed on the undercarriage (jacket).
Almost two years earlier, the first steel cut took place in Antwerp for this second transformer platform built by Equans/Smulders for TenneT. Sustainable electricity is already being brought ashore from the first platform for wind farm Hollandse Kust (north).
Following the installation of the topside, a hotel ship was placed next to the platform so that the Equans/Smulders team could carry out the welding work and further installation.