The Danish Energy Agency has approved lifetime extensions for two of Denmark’s oldest offshore wind farms—Nysted and Middelgrunden—allowing both to continue supplying renewable electricity for at least another decade.
Nysted, commissioned in 2003 and co-owned by Ørsted, PensionDanmark, and Stadtwerke Lübeck, has received a 10-year extension. The 161-megawatt (MW) wind farm, made up of 70 turbines, currently generates enough electricity to supply more than 130,000 households.
Middelgrunden, located 3.5 kilometres off the coast of Copenhagen and jointly owned by utility HOFOR and the cooperative Middelgrundens Vindmøllelaug, has been granted a 25-year extension beyond its original permit, which dates to 2000. The 20-turbine facility provides power to around 20,000 households.
“It is positive that offshore wind turbines over 20 years old can continue producing green electricity for many years to come,” said Stig Uffe Pedersen, deputy director general of the Danish Energy Agency. “It is also sustainable from a resource perspective that the plant can continue to operate safely and responsibly.
The agency required independent technical assessments to evaluate the remaining service life of both projects and has introduced mandatory extended annual inspections as part of the extension process.
Earlier this month, the Samso Offshore Wind Farm also received a 10-year lifetime extension.
Denmark has been a pioneer in offshore wind energy, and the extensions reflect a broader trend of maximising the lifespan of early-generation assets while maintaining safety and environmental standards.
