Government cancels second phase of North Sea energy island to save 3bn euros
The federal government has on Friday decided to cancel the second construction phase of the energy island in the North Sea. This measure should save 3 billion euros, according to energy minister Mathieu Bihet. The estimated cost of the project had risen much higher than planned, so the government looked for ways to save money.
The Princess Elisabeth Island is an artificial island being built off the Belgian coast, 45 km west of Ostend. It is to bring energy from future wind farms in the North Sea to land.
Construction started last year, but there remained much uncertainty about the future of the project. Especially when it emerged late last year that the estimated cost had risen from 2.12 billion euros in 2021 to between 7 and 8 billion euros now. That price explosion was mainly due to the expensive direct-current infrastructure, which was to be built in a second phase.
"The government is opting for sound management for a secure energy future"
Cancelling this direct-current part will save 3 billion euros, said energy minister Mathieu Bihet. The government is opting for “sound management for a secure energy future, without run-away costs for consumers,” he added. Construction of the island itself and of alternating-current infrastructure will continue.
Connection with UK
The cancelling of the direct-current infrastructure means that a planned third wind farm in the Princess Elisabeth area cannot be built for now. Also, a new connection to the UK that would run via the island cannot be built for the time being, but that does not necessarily mean that a new high-voltage cable with the UK will not be constructed in the future. “We continue to study the installation of a second direct-current interconnection with the UK with our partners,” stated Bihet.
Construction site of future energy island Princess Elisabeth Island © BELGA PHOTO Nicolas TUCAT / AFP
Related news
