- Development partners SSE and ABP/APG sign agreement with Dutch transmission system operator, TenneT
- Agreement enables 2GW offshore wind farm in IJmuiden Ver Zone to connect to Dutch national grid
- Project could be commissioned by end of the decade, subject to Final Investment Decision
Joint venture partners SSE and APG (acting on behalf of Dutch pension fund ABP) have signed a realisation agreement with Dutch high-voltage transmission system operator TenneT to enable the delivery of the grid connection infrastructure for the proposed 2GW Alpha offshore wind tender site in the IJmuiden Ver Wind Farm Zone in the North Sea.
The agreement enables the development and construction of the physical grid infrastructure required to connect the proposed wind farm to the Dutch national grid.
SSE Renewables and ABP/APG are jointly progressing the pre-developed and fully consented Alpha offshore wind farm project, located about 62 kilometers off the Dutch coastal port town of Ijmuiden. The 50:50 joint venture partnership was awarded seabed rights for the 2GW project by the Dutch Government in July 2024.
Subject to securing a route to market and reaching a Final Investment Decision, the project would be constructed by SSE Renewables on behalf of the consortium and could be commissioned by the end of the decade.
Delivery of the 2GW wind farm would help contribute to the Dutch Government’s target of 21GW of offshore wind by 2032, and a 50GW target by 2040. Once operational, it is estimated the wind farm would be capable of generating enough offshore wind energy annually to meet around 7% of the current Dutch electricity demand.
The project would be the first offshore wind farm in Dutch waters to be connected by TenneT using one of their new 2GW offshore substation platforms. Renewable electricity generated by the wind farm would be transported ashore via high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable before being converted to alternating current (AC) at a converter station in Borssele ahead of being distributed to Dutch homes and businesses for consumer use. The grid connection is expected to be operational by the end of 2029.
Jasper Vis, Netherlands Country Manager at SSE Renewables, said:
"With the signing of the realisation agreement, we are taking another important step to progress development of the 2 GW Alpha site in the IJmuiden Ver Wind Farm Zone. This represents an unrivalled opportunity for our consortium of SSE Renewables with ABP/APG to work collaboratively with TenneT to realise the potential of this innovative new 2GW offshore wind farm. If approved for delivery, this wind farm can supply green energy to Dutch consumers via TenneT’s next generation of grid-to-se connections."
Maarten Abbenhuis, Chief Operating Officer at TenneT, said:
"The signing of this realisation agreement marks the start of the collaboration between TenneT and the consortium that will build IJmuiden Ver Alpha. This consortium has a strong Dutch link through the involvement of APG combined with the experience of the international renewable energy developer SSE Renewables. Together, we are ambitious to successfully develop this first 2GW connection and the wind farm. It is an important step in making the Dutch energy supply more sustainable for consumers and industry. Moreover, with this first 2GW project, the Netherlands is once again showing that the energy transition and attention to the impact on nature go well together."