Ørsted’s 913-megawatt Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm has started feeding electricity into the German grid, the company said on Wednesday, marking a key step toward full commercial operation.
The wind farm, jointly owned by Ørsted and Nuveen Infrastructure, delivered first power on 3 December. Located around 72 kilometres off the German North Sea coast, the project spans roughly 75 square kilometres and comprises 83 Siemens Gamesa turbines rated at 11 MW each. Power is transmitted to shore via a 66-kV link to TenneT’s DolWin epsilon offshore converter platform.
“With first power produced at Borkum Riffgrund 3, we’re taking a major step towards completion of this large-scale project,” said Felix Gschnell, programme director for the project at Ørsted. “We’re now focused on commissioning all remaining wind turbines – so we can start full commercial operation in Q1 2026, thereby contributing a significant amount of additional electricity from offshore wind to the German grid.”
Jordi Francesch, managing director for renewable energy investments at Nuveen Infrastructure, said the milestone underscores the project’s contribution to Europe’s clean-energy shift. “The generation of the first power at Borkum Riffgrund 3 is both a significant landmark for German offshore wind and our commitment to accelerating the EU energy transition,” he said. “Our partnership with Ørsted will deliver 913 MW of clean energy to German households and European corporates, making this project a new benchmark for decarbonisation while also supporting long-term energy security for Germany and the EU.”
Patrick Harnett, chief construction officer at Ørsted, said the farm’s construction drew heavily on European supply chains. “The project has been constructed by European companies, creating local manufacturing jobs,” he said. “And, once completed, it will produce the same amount of electricity that a large city uses every year, supporting European industry with a significant amount of green energy through CPPAs.”
Full operations are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026.
