TenneT signs agreement for offshore farm connection in Netherlands

TenneT has signed a realisation agreement with a consortium of SSE Renewables and pension investor APG, on behalf of pension fund ABP, for the offshore grid connection of the IJmuiden Ver Alpha wind farm, located 60km offshore the Netherlands.

This marks the first wind farm to adopt the 2GW direct current (DC) standard, with operations expected to begin by the end of 2029. The agreement outlines the development and construction of the required grid infrastructure to connect the wind farm to the Dutch high-voltage grid. The consortium secured the tender in June 2024.

Electricity from the wind farm will be brought ashore at Borssele, converted to alternating current (AC) at a conversion station, and then transported to the high-voltage grid for end users.  

The Netherlands aims to reach 21GW of offshore wind capacity by 2032, up from its current 4.7GW. TenneT is working on seven new offshore grid connections for Dutch North Sea wind farms, using 2GW DC technology, which minimizes transmission losses, reduces the number of cables and platforms, and saves space.