Energinet Requires Environmental Consultancy Services for Hesselø Offshore Wind Project

Danish transmission system operator Energinet has issued a contract notice seeking environmental engineering consultancy services for the Hesselø offshore wind project.

The move follows the news from June, when the Danish political parties signed an agreement on the new location for the offshore wind farm, moving the project site to the south of the area that was originally planned to accommodate offshore wind turbines.

As part of this, a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) will be carried out, as well as a number of feasibility studies.

The current tender relates to consultancy services for the preparation of a SEA for the part of the project that is to be established at sea and technical reports concerning a number of environmental and planning conditions at sea, including the preparation of visibility analysis and Natura 2000 assessments.

The total value of the contract is DKK 4 million (approximately EUR 540,000) excluding VAT. The duration of the contract is 24 months, with options for renewal.

Interested parties have until 30 August to submit their bids.

As reported earlier, the Danish Energy Agency (DEA) paused the tendering procedure for the Hesselø project a year ago, after preliminary seabed surveys identified soft clay bottoms in large parts of the designated site, especially in the northern and western part of the area and in the upper 20-30 metres below the seabed.

In October 2021, the agency said it was searching for alternative areas for the project, in case the Hesselø site was deemed unsuitable, and initiated the fine screening process of alternative areas.

The process involved an initial assessment of suitability for the establishment of an offshore wind farm, including the effects on costs, grid connection work, environment, and planning conditions.

At the new location, Hesselø offshore wind farm is expected to be able to start supplying power to Danish households from 2028 and to be fully completed in 2029.

Located in the Kattegat, 30 kilometres north of Zealand, the project is planned to have an installed capacity of between 800 MW and 1,200 MW.

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