On the Vliegerpad
in Velsen, preparatory work will start next week (Monday 28 August) for
the connection of the third offshore wind farm by grid operator TenneT; Dutch
Coast (west Beta). In order to safely carry out the drilling under
the dunes, contractor NRG will start as early as possible in the storm
season.
A
working area has been set up on both the beach of Velsen and in the Sculpture
Garden A Sea of Steel for drilling under the dunes. A drilling
machine will be installed on both sites, which will drill towards each
other underground under GPS control. Before both work areas can be
set up, NRG will first prepare the Vliegerpad for the delivery of the equipment.
Supply
of equipment
“All transport for the supply of equipment to the beach runs through the
Tata Steel site, then a part of Reyndersweg and the last part over the
Vliegerpad”, says Patrick Bakelaar, area manager for NRG. “On the
part of the Vliegerpad that we need, we will remove the Stelcon plates
and, in consultation with the municipality of Velsen, temporarily install
a rubble pavement.”
'The
Vliegerpad beach exit will remain open for beach visitors'
Design
of work areas
Subsequently, the two work areas on either side of the dunes will be set
up from September. Work area 1 (WKT1) is being realized on the beach
of Velsen and work area 2 (WKT2) is located in the Sculpture Garden and
Sea of Steel on the other side of the dunes. These two areas
of activity are the most eye-catching for the environment. WKT3 will
be located on the site of Tata Steel and WKT4 will be set up within the
fences of the transformer station on Zeestraat.
'Because
there are now not four, but two sea cables, the temporary sandcastle on
the beach of Velsen will be smaller'
Temporary
sandcastle
Just as for the landfall of the sea cables for Hollandse Kust (north) and
(west Alpha) at Heemskerk, contractor NRG is creating an elevated work
area on the beach at Velsen. Patrick: “This is necessary to compensate
for the difference in height on both sides of the dunes in view of the
drilling. Because there are now not four, but two sea cables, the
temporary 'sand
castle' on
the beach of Velsen will be smaller.”
Local
sand extraction
This
time, too, the
sand required for
the temporary embankment will be extracted a little further from Zuiderbad. “We
will start the excavations in September to ensure that the construction
of the structure is completed on time. The sand is again transported
by dump trucks that drive at low speed through the high water mark. For
safety, these transports are escorted by a 4-wheel drive with employees
who will alert beach visitors to the transport.”
Photo:
sand castle on Heemskerk beach off the Dutch coast (north) and (west Alpha)
winter 2021.
Sculpture
Park
Also
for work area 2 – which will be temporarily located in the Sculpture Park
– according to Patrick, cyclists and walkers will have free passage during
the work. “As before along the Meeuweweg in Wijk aan Zee, a work
area will be set up on both sides of the path. For safety during the
night hours, we install amber-colored lighting in consultation with the
municipality that does not have a disruptive effect on the surrounding
nature.”
