The Norther offshore wind farm recently achieved financial close. The €1.2 billion project, a joint venture between Mitsubishi Corporation and Eneco, is set to provide around 400,000 households across Belgium with electricity. Mott MacDonald provided lenders' technical advisory, and will continue to provide construction and operational monitoring.

Concession for the Norther offshore wind farm was granted in 2009; the 369.6 MW wind farm is to be situated 23 kilometres from the coast of Ostend, Belgium. The project is a 50/50 split joint venture between Mitsubishi Corporation and Eneco. The project itself consists of 44 turbines, which are connected, through a series of inter-array cables to shore, with the combined capacity generating electricity for around 400,000 households across Belgium.

Mott MacDonald was the lenders’ technical advisor for the €1.2 billion project, which recently achieved financial close. In an ongoing role, which builds on the firm’s prior involvement as technical advisor, the firm will continue to provide construction and operational monitoring.

Scott Love, Mott MacDonald’s Project Manager, remarks about the engagement, “We have a deep understanding of the requirements of the lenders, having been involved on the project since 2010. Our role on Norther continues our long-standing and vast involvement in the Belgian offshore wind sector, where we have provided technical advice on the five previous offshore wind farms – Belwind, Northwind, Thornton Bank, Nobelwind and recently Rentel – to reach financial close to date.”

Regarding the role of Mott MacDonald on the project, Dennis Sanou, Norther’s Chief Executive Officer, adds, “It has taken quite some time and hard work to bring the project to where we are today. Thanks to the effort of the team members, together with professional and reliable partners like Mott MacDonald, we have been able to acquire the required funding and proceed into the construction phase. We will continue to work with Mott MacDonald as our LTA and are looking forward to the continuation of this successful endeavour.”

Comment