· Jan De Nul Group, in consortium with LS Cable & System, will connect the world’s first artificial energy island to the Belgian grid with the installation of three HVAC 220 kV cables.
· The energy-island, that is also a hybrid interconnector, will be the connection hub between the wind farms in the Princess Elisabeth Zone (3.5 GW) and the Belgian mainland.
· This contract is another very important step in realising the transition to renewable energy in Belgium and Europe.
Jan De Nul Group, in consortium with LS Cable & System, 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 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.
The energy island will supply 3.5 GW of renewable energy to the Belgian 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.
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.”
Jan De Nul Group and LS Cable renew their partnership after previous collaborations.
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.
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.
About Jan De Nul Group
Jan De Nul Group is a global family business that solves complex challenges of today’s society. Our talented people develop sustainable solutions that contribute to the energy transition, securing the future of the next generation.
Our expertise lies in five main activities: offshore energy, dredging and maritime construction, civil construction, environmental activities and project development. We enable the production of offshore energy and maintain the depth of waterways. We build new ports and create extra land. We realise complex infrastructure works and erect any type of building. We tackle pollution in whatever form. From design and engineering to the execution and maintenance, we unburden our clients with overall solutions that combine one, several or even all activities.
