TenneT begins cable drilling works at Maasvlakte
Drilling under dunes prepares the way for offshore wind cables to land at Maasvlakte, linking IJmuiden Ver to the Dutch high-voltage grid.
Image for illustrative purposes
The Netherlands, Rotterdam / Arnhem: Grid operator TenneT is moving ahead with preparations to bring offshore wind power ashore via Maasvlakte. Starting on 26 May, contractor NRG (a consortium of Denys, Alsema, and Van Vulpen) will begin horizontal directional drilling under the dunes. Six drillings will take place before summer, with three more planned afterward.
Recent preparations have been carried out both inland and on the beach. The team will drill horizontally for approximately 200 m toward the coastline, inserting plastic casings to hold future electricity cables. Similar work was completed previously at Heemskerk / Wijk aan Zee and Velsen.
This effort is part of the grid connection for the IJmuiden Ver Beta and Gamma offshore wind areas. The Swedish company NKT will later install seabed cables from the transformer platforms to this landing point. Each 525 kV system consists of four cables: a positive, a negative, a metallic return, and a fibre optic cable. This design allows for partial functionality in case of a fault, with remote operation enabled via fibre.
The drilling will be done in three stages: pilot drilling, reaming to widen the borehole, and finally installing a casing pipe. Land-based cables will later connect to the offshore system.
TenneT has also opened an information point on Noordzeeboulevard, offering visitors a closer look at how offshore energy is brought into the Dutch grid infrastructure.
Source: TenneT
#Alsema#cable installation#Denys#drilling#energy grid#Maasvlakte#NRG#offshore wind#Rotterdam#Tennet#The Netherlands#Van Vulpen