The 700 MW Hollandse Kust Zuid (HKZ) Beta topside weighing 3,950-tonnes has been loaded out at the Drydocks World Dubai and is on its way to the Netherlands. Petrofac informed that it has completed the construction of the second High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) offshore transformer station topside for the Dutch-German transmission grid operator Tennet. 

The topside weighing, transport and load-out has been completed by the heavy lift and transport specialist Mammoet. The topside left the Dubai site onboard the Boskalis’ heavy transport vessel Mighty Servant 3. The topside will form part of the Hollandse Kust Zuid (HKZ) grid connection that connects the offshore wind farm zone to the Dutch mainland at the Maasvlakte.

Marco Kuijpers, director of Large Projects Offshore for grid operator TenneT, said, “With the completion of the Beta topside, the offshore grid that TenneT is building in the North Sea is starting to take shape. Hollandse Kust Zuid is the first connection of an offshore wind farm to the Maasvlakte. Wind energy plays a crucial role in the energy transition, also in industry, and I am proud that TenneT – together with Petrofac and Drydocks World – can contribute to a sustainable future in this way.”

Located 20 kilometres off the Dutch province of Zuid-Holland, the Hollandse Kust Zuid (HKZ) wind farm zone occupies an area of 235.8 km2 and runs on a 1,400 MW of renewable energy. When fully operational in 2023, the wind farm zone will produce enough renewable energy to meet annual needs of more than two million households. Petrofac is responsible for the complete engineering, procurement, construction, and offshore installation of HKZ Alpha and HKZ Beta platforms.