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Riffgat

Riffgat is the second offshore grid connection that TenneT has connected to the transmission grid in Germany using three-phase current (AC) technology. The wind farm of the same name is located within the twelve nautical mile zone of Lower Saxony, about 15 kilometers northwest of the East Frisian island of Borkum and thus about 50 kilometers from the coast. Due to the proximity to the mainland and the installed total output of 113 megawatts (MW), it was technically and economically most efficient to realize Riffgat as an individual three-phase current connection.


Location
Lower Saxony, North Sea
Type
Offshore
Category
offshore
Status
finished
Tags
  • Riffgat
Riffgat

About the project

80 kilometers long and 113 megawatts strong AC grid connection system

Riffgat

The 80-kilometer-long 155 kilovolt (kV) link is now connected to the extra-high voltage grid via the Emden/Ost substation. Until spring 2023, the wind farm was initially connected to the 380 kV grid via the Emden/Borssum substation. The existing transformer station was extended accordingly. Since February 2014, power capacities of up to 113 megawatts (MW) have been fed into the German power grid via 50 kilometers of submarine and 30 kilometers of land cable. Laying the undersea cable off the coast of Borkum was technically extremely demanding, as the route led along a dumping area for World War II ammunition. For more than 18 months, 30 tons of ammunition had to be recovered and disposed of with the utmost care and effort before the grid connection could go into operation.

Connecting concept

Due to the proximity to the mainland and the installed transmission capacity, the grid connection system was realised as a technically and economically efficient three-phase alternating current (AC) connection. The wind farm is directly connected to a coastal substation via subsea cable and a short underground cable on the mainland. Here, the green energy is directly fed into the respective voltage level.

Offshore_Connection_AC

Impressions

  • Riffgat cable loading Emden

    Riffgat cable loading Emden

  • Riffgat cable loading Emden

    Riffgat cable loading Emden

  • Riffgat cable loading Emden

    Riffgat cable loading Emden

  • Riffgat UW Emden Borssum

    Riffgat UW Emden Borssum

  • Riffgat example grenades

    Riffgat example grenades

  • Riffgat land cable laying

    Riffgat land cable laying

  • Riffgat cable storage Emden

    Riffgat cable storage Emden

  • Riffgat cable storage Emden

    Riffgat cable storage Emden

Contacts

cornelia junge.jpg

Cornelia Junge

Spokesperson - Project Communication Offshore

Further information