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Plambeck Neue Energien has announced its plans for a second major offshore wind project, an EUR 800 million, 250 MW plant in the Baltic Sea. The Beltsee site, 35 kilometres north-west of the coast near Rostock, is in a water depth of about 25 metres. Plambeck intends to start construction of a pilot phase in 2004 when it will also begin "extensive" environmental monitoring at the 28 square kilometre site.

The company hopes to install up to 83, 3 MW turbines, says Reiner Heinsohn of Plambeck. Negotiations are also underway with electricity companies over three possible grid connection points on land. The planning application has been accepted for processing by the federal shipping office, Bundesamt für Schiffahrt und Hydrologie (BSH). This gives Plambeck initial, exclusive development rights to the site.

Plambeck's other offshore wind project proposal, sized at 800-1000 MW, is slated for Borkum Riffgrund in the North Sea, about 34 kilometres from the nearest coast The company hopes to begin construction of the pilot phase by 2004. The BSH has also accepted the application for this project, and an agreement for grid connection of the first 90 MW has been clinched (“uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç, December 2000).

Plambeck, which is listed on the German stock exchange, completed a capital increase in May, raising EUR 45 million. This "laid the financial foundation for carrying out the company's far-reaching plans," including development of the offshore wind stations, the company states. The wind plant developer is expanding fast and this year expects to more than double year 2000 turnover of DEM 190.4 million and profit of DEM 15.5 million.