Power line scheduled for gas manufacturing at Borkum, temporarily halted
The construction of the power cable for the Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm has reached an advanced stage, with the overall project having been completed as of January 2025. The wind project is directly connected to an offshore converter platform (DolWin epsilon) without the use of a substation, indicating that key power infrastructure is in place and operational.
However, the power cable construction to the gas platform at Borkum is not without controversy. The cable would run through a protected area where reef formations are located, which could be impaired or removed by the construction work. The permit for the power cable was supplemented with additional compensation requirements in spring.
Recently, the Higher Administrative Court (OVG) in Lüneburg rejected a complaint by German Environmental Aid (DUH) regarding a water law permit for the power cable to a gas extraction platform at Borkum. The OVG's decision was not considered significant by DUH, and the focus is now on the ongoing procedure for the protection of the rare stone reef.
Despite the OVG's ruling, the laying of the cable remains prohibited for the time being. The Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment will carefully examine the OVG's ruling, and the decision on the water law permit is only one aspect. If the court also confirms exemptions from nature conservation law in the ongoing procedure, the project could be implemented.
One-Dyas, the company preparing for the construction, views the OVG's decision as an important interim step. The company is waiting for the decision in the second procedure before proceeding with the construction. An appeal against these exemptions is now pending before the OVG in Lüneburg.
In July, the Administrative Court in Oldenburg granted certain exemptions from nature conservation law that were applied by DUH. It is essential to note that the latest available information from mid-2025 does not provide publicized recent court rulings or procedural delays linked to the power cable route or construction activities connecting to the gas platform.
If you are seeking detailed status on legal or regulatory proceedings specific to the power cable project, including court rulings or permit conditions, additional specialized sources or direct inquiries to project authorities (e.g., Ørsted or German regulatory bodies) would be necessary. The power cable is intended to supply power from the nearby wind farm Riffgat, and the project's ultimate implementation remains contingent on the outcome of ongoing legal and regulatory proceedings.
- The controversy over the power cable construction, intended to supply energy from the wind farm Riffgat, extends to a gas platform at Borkum, as the cable would run through a protected environmental-science area, potentially impairing reef formations.
- In spite of a ruling by the Higher Administrative Court (OVG) in Lüneburg, the laying of the power cable to the gas platform at Borkum remains prohibited due to concerns about its impact on the environment and ongoing legal and regulatory proceedings.
- One-Dyas, the company preparing for the construction, is awaiting the decision in the second procedure before proceeding, as an appeal against certain exemptions from nature conservation law is pending before the OVG in Lüneburg, impacting the future of the power cable project.
