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The project concerns an artificial island (the Princess Elisabeth Island) located 45 km off the Belgian coast. It will support electricity transmission infrastructure, and act as an electricity hub connecting new planned offshore wind farms (Princess Elisabeth Zone) to the onshore electrical transmission grid as they come online. This operation will cover the second phase of the program - the electrical infrastructure to be installed. The electrical infrastructure consists of a 220 kV-substation, 66kV cabins, as well as 220 kV/66 kV transformers. Electricity transport from the island to the shore will happen via 6 three-phase alternating current 220 kV cables between the energy island and the onshore 220 kV substation.
The project will act as an electricity hub connecting new planned offshore wind farms to the onshore electrical transmission grid. The project is expected to contribute to EIB Group Green Finance objectives, including climate mitigation. The use of an artificial island as an electricity connection hub is a first-of-a-kind in Europe, it hence contributes to TechEU objectives.
The project falls under Annex I of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU and it was subject to an EIA procedure. The Competent Authority issued an environmental permit on 26 September 2023.
The Bank will require the promoter to ensure that contracts for implementation of the project have been tendered in accordance with the applicable EU procurement legislation, Directive 2014/25/EU as well as Directive 92/13/EEC or Directive 89/665/EEC as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with publication of tender notices in the EU Official Journal, as and where required.