Five European Transmission System Operators (TSOs) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on submarine cable infrastructure in the North Sea.
The agreement was signed at WindEurope’s annual event in Madrid by Elia (Belgium), Energinet (Denmark), 50Hertz (Germany) and TenneT, which operates in Germany and the Netherlands.
The initiative aims to improve the affordability, efficiency and reliability of the future electricity system as offshore wind capacity and cross-border connectivity continue to grow, according to a TSO press release on April 23.
The TSOs will, over an initial period of at least one year, evaluate opportunities for cooperation on the strategic and technical aspects of submarine cable systems. This includes sharing knowledge on repair procedures, spare parts and troubleshooting, as well as mapping available vessels, materials and technical capabilities.
The cooperation will be organized through four thematic working groups focusing on repair logistics, spare parts and equipment, fault finding, legal and financial frameworks. The goal is to identify scalable solutions that can reduce downtime, improve repair efficiency, and reduce system impacts and associated costs.
High-voltage subsea cables are becoming an increasingly critical component of Europe’s electricity system, enabling the transmission of offshore wind energy and cross-border energy flows, the Transmission System Operators noted, adding that interruptions to these assets could have economic and social consequences.
“As offshore wind grows, the reliability of our submarine cables is becoming increasingly critical. By joining forces with our fellow TSOs, we are improving the operational robustness of the network and ensuring we deploy resources smarter and can respond faster when it matters. This cooperation is in the interest of the whole of Europe.” He said Frederick DononIlya, CEO.
The initiative is open to other members of the TSO Offshore Cooperation (OTC) group, with the potential to develop into a long-term structured collaboration if the feasibility phase shows clear benefits.
At the beginning of this year, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom signed an investment agreement with the offshore wind industry and transmission system operators that is said to mobilize €1 trillion in economic activity.
Under the agreement, the TSO will identify cost-effective cooperation projects in the North Sea, including 20 GW of promising cross-border projects by 2027 for deployment in the 2030s.
