German transmission system operator Amprion has started preparatory seabed work for the installation of subsea cables as part of its DolWin4 offshore wind grid connection project in the North Sea, the company said on Monday.
The initial activities, known as the pre-lay run, are being carried out north of the island of Norderney and will continue over the next two weeks. The process includes clearing the seabed of debris, such as lost fishing gear, to ensure a smooth installation of the cable system.
“For the offshore grid connection system DolWin4, Amprion will lay cables in the exclusive economic zone, in the Lower Saxony coastal sea, as well as on land between the coast and Lingen,” the company said in a statement.
Subsea cable installation is scheduled to begin in early August off the coast near Hilgenriedersiel. This summer’s work will also involve laying cables in the Wadden Sea and further north of Norderney, forming a key part of the infrastructure needed to transport offshore wind power to mainland Germany.
DolWin4 is being developed in parallel with the BorWin4 project, and both are expected to be operational by 2028. The cables will transport electricity from North Sea wind farms—located 60 to 125 kilometres offshore—through a route that passes beneath Norderney, reaching land at Hilgenriedersiel.
From the coast, the cables will extend approximately 155 kilometres underground to the Hanekenfähr converter station in Lingen (Ems), where they will be connected to Amprion’s transmission grid.
