Energiekontor gains grid commitment from Tennet

GERMANY: German wind developer Energiekontor has received the "unconditional grid connection" pledge from transmission system operator Tennet for its 110MW Nordergrunde offshore wind project.

Installation of the eighteen turbines will begin  "from 2014". Tennet said the cable connection to the onshore grid would be ready by July 2014.

Nordergrunde was fully permitted in October 2011, the application successfully amended from the originally planned  5MW Repower turbines to use of 6.15MW Repower turbines, raising the total project capacity to 110.7MW. 

The station will be located in the Jade-Weser estuary north of the port of Wilhelmshaven and 15 kilometres north west of the island of Wangerooge, within the 12 nautical mile zone of the North Sea. 

Energiekontor expects financial close of project financing for the station in the second half of 2012. Several bidders have lodged offers to provide the equity, the company states.