Dong Energy halts German offshore wind farm development

Dong Energy halted the Borkum Riffgrund 2 wind farm development due to a lack of grid connection. The wind farm is located in the North Sea off the coast of Germany.

TenneT TSO, a localpower grid operator, was expected to have supplied the links to the offshore wind farms but failed.

Germany has plans to install 25GW of offshore turbines by 2030, but delays in setting up grid links have been creating considerable setbacks.

DONG Energy Germany wind power director Christoph Mertens stated, "Due to the lack of the contract for the grid connection for the Borkum Riffgrund II project being awarded, we have been forced to suspend the development and construction."

Mertens further added that the company will relegate the project into DONG Energy’s development pipeline, as the offshore power cables supplier has not provided a fixed date to lay the cables.

TenneT spokesman Harold Wouters remarked, "TenneT is looking for co-investors for these offshore activities, but they won’t invest before the German government clears the legal framework."

According to a TenneT Germany spokesperson, offshore wind farms require about €1bn ($1.3bn) investment in infrastructure for an output of 1,000MW.

However, a Siemens spokeswoman Eva-Maria Baumann said that the company’s deal to supply turbines has witnessed no effect as the order has not yet been booked.