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IJmuiden Ver Alpha and Beta preferred routes identified

4C Offshore | Tom Russell
By: Tom Russell 26/11/2020 TenneT
The Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) in the Netherlands has chosen the preferred routes for the grid IJmuiden Ver Alpha and Beta grid connection systems.

The
IJmuiden Ver offshore wind farm zone is made of four offshore wind farm sites, which are expected to be tendered in 2023 and 2025. The four sites each have the potential to host up to 1 GW of offshore wind energy. Two offshore platforms, IJmuiden Ver Alpha and Beta, will connect the projects to the onshore grid via subsea cables.

TenneT, in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, RWS and the Coastguard, worked out an optimisation for the IJmuiden Ver Alpha and Beta Network at sea by comparing the route alternatives for both projects for approximately 80 kilometres at sea. By using one corridor for two cable routes instead of two corridors each with one cable route, the space in the North Sea is used more efficiently. This leaves more room for connecting any future wind farms and other functions. An additional advantage is that this avoids the (forthcoming) Natura 2000 area Bruin Bank.

The preferred alternative for IJmuiden Ver Alpha runs to Borssele via the Veerse Meer. This route runs through the North Sea and goes on land underground via the Veerse Meer, through the Quarlespolder to the Sloehaven in Borssele. The electricity then goes via a new converter station to be built on the Belgiƫweg Oost to the existing high-voltage station in Borssele.

The preferred alternative for IJmuiden Ver Beta runs parallel to the cable connection of IJmuiden Ver Alpha. The cable connection then comes ashore on the south side of the Maasvlakte. Here, the underground connection continues over land southeast of the Slufter to a new converter station to be built (Midden location). There the direct current is converted into alternating current and further transported to the national high-voltage grid.

In the coming months, the preferred alternatives will be further investigated and worked out in more detail. When the research phase is complete, design decisions are drawn up. These concepts will form part of the integration plan and the permits and exemptions. All draft decisions are expected to be made available for inspection by the Ministry of Economic Affairs by the end of 2021, together with the environmental impact statement. Construction of the high-voltage connections is scheduled to start in 2024.


For more information on offshore wind farms,
click here. Alternatively, you can view projects across the globe using 4C Offshore's interactive map.

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