German transmission system operator Amprion plans to build two offshore grid connection systems in the North Sea with a combined capacity of around 1.9GW by 2029.
The Dortmund-based company has also established a dedicated offshore unit for the development of the project.
The two offshore connections will be linked to the Hanekenfähr substation in Lower Saxony. The aim of the project is to allow the transport of wind power from the North Sea closer to the major consumption centers in western Germany, thereby relieving the burden on the grid in the north, Amprion said.
Commissioning of the connections is planned for 2028 and 2029. The first system will have a cable length of about 220 kilometres, of which 50 kilometres will be laid undersea, and a transmission capacity of about 900MW.
The second system will have a capacity of about 980MW and a length of about 300 kilometres, with a 130-kilometre subsea section.
The cable routes have not been determined yet. Amprion plans to hold preparatory talks with public agencies in the first half of 2019 and to provide basic information about the project. The company also plans to locate parts of the offshore team in a project office in Hamburg.
“The integration of offshore wind is a central element in the reorganization of our energy system, but requires the appropriate regulatory framework that will enable economic implementation,” Dr. Hans-Jürgen Brick, Commercial Director of Amprion GmbH, said.
The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) included the two links in the draft of the land development plan issued on 26 October 2018. The Federal Network Agency gave the project the green light in the Network Development Plan 2030, Version 2017.