This week saw the successful completion of site acceptance tests (SAT) for the cable systems of the Hollandse Kust (West Beta) project, one of the key pillars in the infrastructure connecting the North Sea to the coast of the Netherlands. These tests certify the integrity of the export and interconnection cables interconnection cables that will connect the future offshore substation to the mainland.
Connection tests on Hollandse Kust West Beta
The developed infrastructure includes two 220 kilovolt cables with a length of 65 kilometers each, together with a 66 kV interconnecting cable linking the Hollandse Kust West Alpha and Beta platforms. The installation was led by a technical consortium between Orient Cable and Boskalis, under contract with transmission operator TenneT.
Equans BeLux and Smulders were in charge of delivering the substation and its jacket foundation, installed some 50 kilometers off the Dutch coast. This offshore power node will be crucial for the future OranjeWind wind farm. OranjeWindwind farm, powered by RWE and TotalEnergies, which will be equipped with 53 Vestas V236 15 MW wind turbines. V236 15 MW wind turbines.
Energy transport and connection efficiency
From 2026, when construction of the turbines begins, the electricity produced will be channeled to land through this system, ensuring a constant and reliable flow. The connection capacity will be 760 MW, with a 35 MW reserve to maintain efficiency even in low production conditions.
Jaap Nijland, offshore project manager at TenneT, highlighted multinational collaboration and safe execution as key factors in reaching this point in the project. The tests, completed in just one week, mark a strategic step towards a resilient and sustainable energy infrastructure.
Source and photo: Jaap NijlandJaap Nijland
