Along the Maasvlakte beach, the energy transition is becoming physically apparent. Temporary work areas, elevated platforms and preparatory activities now signal the next phase in the development of offshore grid connections for the IJmuiden Ver Beta, IJmuiden Ver Gamma and Nederwiek 2 wind farms. Grid operator TenneT, together with its contractors, is progressing the infrastructure required to transport large volumes of renewable electricity from the North Sea to shore.
The on-site activity marks a clear transition between project phases. In recent months, contractor NRG completed the installation of underground onshore cables that carry direct current from the landfall at Slufterstrand to the converter stations. With this scope concluded, NKT has commenced preparations for the subsequent installation of subsea export cables.
Current works are primarily focused on the construction of temporary work platforms. These platforms will serve as the launch points for horizontal directional drilling (HDD) beneath the beach and seabed, creating underground corridors through which the cables can be routed towards the offshore environment. This approach avoids surface disruption and enables cable installation in an area where the gently sloping beach prevents large cable-laying vessels from operating close to shore.
Speaking to The Voice of Renewables, Arjan Dams, project director at TenneT noted that the works are a necessary step in reinforcing the offshore transmission system. The HDD method allows the project to balance technical requirements with environmental and stakeholder considerations, limiting impacts on the beach, surrounding nature and recreational use while ensuring the long-term reliability of the connection.
The elevated platforms will accommodate drilling rigs, generators and auxiliary equipment, providing a stable and safe working environment under variable coastal weather conditions. In parallel, extensive survey activities are being carried out using drones. These surveys generate high-resolution data on topography and subsurface conditions, including soil characteristics, elevation profiles and magnetometer readings. All flights are conducted within defined safety and work zones and are continuously monitored by certified drone operators.
The survey data is integral to risk management and execution planning, ensuring that drilling and installation activities can be carried out safely and efficiently. Drones will also be deployed offshore to support inspections and measurements around active work areas.
Over the coming months, the temporary platforms will be fully equipped and prepared for drilling operations, which are scheduled to start in the spring. Following each bore, protective conduits will be installed to allow for the later pull-in of the cables. Installation of the subsea cables themselves is planned to commence in 2027, with offshore works further from the coast continuing through to around 2030.
From a public and stakeholder perspective, access to the beach will remain largely unaffected. Active work areas are clearly demarcated, while adjacent sections of the beach remain open. Any temporary restrictions will be communicated in advance, and upon completion of the works the beach will be reinstated as close as possible to its original condition.
With the connection of these offshore wind farms, TenneT is taking a further step in strengthening a future-proof electricity system. The infrastructure now emerging on the Maasvlakte will form a critical link between large-scale offshore wind generation and the onshore grid, translating today’s construction activity into long-term system resilience and decarbonisation.
