Jan De Nul will connect the Princess Elisabeth Island to the Belgian high-voltage grid
The artificial energy-island represents an important milestone in Belgium and Europe's transition to renewable energy and is crucial for the integration of energy systems.
In consortium with LS Cable & System, Jan De Nul has won a contract to supply, install and test three 220 kV alternating current cables.
These subsea cables will transmit renewable energy from the Princess Elisabeth Island to the Belgian high-voltage onshore grid.
The energy island which is currently being constructed by a Jan De Nul Joint Venture, is located just off the Belgian coast, and is an electricity hub that bundles both the cables of the second offshore wind zone in Belgium (the Princess Elisabeth Zone) with future cable connections to other European North Sea countries such as the UK and Denmark. The island, located some 45 km offshore, will be built on concrete caissons filled with sand and will house almost exclusively transmission infrastructure. As the offshore wind sector expands, countries are exploring increasingly sophisticated methods of connecting wind farms to the mainland. Europe is striving to establish meshed offshore networks in all seas, with both cable interconnections and energy islands playing a key role.
The total capacity of the artificial energy-island will be sufficient to power about 3.5 million Belgian households with green electricity.
The contract includes all works for three 220 kV high-voltage cables with a combined length of 165 km. The partners are responsible for the entire process: from design and engineering, through production and transportation, to installation and testing. The installation will take place in 2028.
Wim Dhont, Manager Offshore Cables at Jan De Nul Group:
“We are delighted to be awarded this landmark project further enhancing Jan De Nul Group’s position as the reference for constructing the offshore energy transition. Thanks to our versatile fleet we are able to offer a one stop shop solution which involves offshore cable laying, dredging, rock protection, civil and environmental works, all with in-house equipment and expertise.”
LS Cable is responsible for the design and production of the cables at its plant in South Korea. Jan De Nul will provide transport, installation and protection of the cables between the island and the Belgian coast with its versatile fleet by deploying its cable-laying vessels Connector and Willem de Vlamingh, and offshore support vessel Adhémar de Saint-Venant. Trailing suction hopper dredgers of the Jan De Nul fleet will level the seabed before the cable-laying. This way, the partner companies complement each other after previous collaborations in Germany and The Netherlands.
