TENNET HIGH VOLTAGE NETWORK II

580 km submarine power cable link across the North Sea in order to interconnect the Dutch and Norwegian national power systems.

Interconnection of the Dutch and Norwegian national power systems. The project will deepen the internal market in electricity, increase market liquidity and decrease price volatility by enabling the transmission and trade of electricity between The Netherlands and Norway by taking advantage of differences in the generation structures in both countries (predominantly thermal in The Netherlands; hydro in Norway). It will also offer increased security of supply to the relatively tight power systems in the countries concerned.

The environmental impacts of the project have been analysed in detail in all countries concerned. The project does not fall under the EU EIA Directive (85/337/EEC) since it concerns a submarine/underground cable with indoor converter stations. Nevertheless, a full EIA has been carried out in The Netherlands. The authorities in The Netherlands concluded that the project will have no impacts of any significance on any Natura 2000 area. In Norway, all regulatory requirements were fulfilled, and the licensing was done in accordance with all relevant legislation based on international conventions. As regards Danmark and Germany, all relevant impacts were described and relevant reports added in the permit applications, resulting in licenses being granted by the respective authorities.

The promoter followed public tendering in compliance with the relevant EU Directive.

Electricity transmission