Vattenfall pulls out of 700-MW Dutch offshore wind auction

Vattenfall has pulled out of a 700-MW Dutch offshore wind tender next month due to the coronavirus situation, a spokesman for the Swedish utility said Tuesday.

The tender for the Hollandse Kust Noord concession starts Thursday and will close April 30, with a winner to be announced in May, according to organizing authority RVO.

"In light of the current COVID-19 situation, we have carefully evaluated our risk-reward balance against the remainder of our strong pipeline and the rest of our ongoing projects," the spokesman said in an email.

The company said it remained committed to "ensuring the safe and timely delivery of Hollandse Kust Zuid," the two zero-subsidy Dutch offshore wind projects totaling 1.5 GW it won in 2018 and 2019.

"Overall the COVID-19 circumstances have created a situation where Vattenfall needs to consolidate its efforts and focus on core activities: electricity production and the delivery of current projects," it said.

Denmark's Orsted which won the first of five Dutch offshore wind tenders in 2016, is due to bring the Borssele 1 and 2 project online next winter.

This would be followed in 2021 by Borssele 3 and 4, being developed by the Shell-led Blauwwind consortium.

Grid operator Tennet is planning to have grid links for both in place before the winter.

Turbine installation for Vattenfall's combined Hollandse Kust Zuid project could start in 2022.

Dutch offshore wind tenders

Source: Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl)