Off the island of Norderney two undersea cables have been damaged during work to connect offshore wind farms at the North Sea . This was confirmed by transmission system operators Amprion; Norddeutscher Rundfunk first reported it on 4 November 2026. According to the company, the damage occurred on two route sections in summer 2026.
Amprion says the repairs have been postponed until 2027 because the storm-surge seasonis beginning. During this period, operations involving specialist vessels, cable-laying vessel and diving teams are only possible to a limited extent. The damaged sections have been located, and on-site investigations are ongoing; the company has not given firm dates for the repairs.
The affected lines are part of the offshore grid connection systems DolWin4 and BorWin4. Amprion is building both projects, which are due to begin transmitting up to 1.8 gigawatts of North Sea wind power to shore from 2028. The grid operator currently expects no delay to the planned start of operations. This assessment comes from Amprion; the schedules have not been independently confirmed.
Amprion provided limited information about the causes. According to the company, sections of individual cables were damaged while the routes were being laid and secured. It plans to provide technical details about the location, depth and repair method once investigations are complete and the relevant authorities have been informed about the next steps.
The incident highlights the narrow operating windows and demanding technical requirements involved in undersea cable work near the East Frisian Islands. Storms, strong currents and sensitive coastal areas limit the availability of equipment and personnel. Planning and construction work for the grid connections is also under way on land, including preparatory horizontal drilling to pass beneath beach and dune areas; this work is scheduled over a longer period and will be carried out in stages.
For Norderney, the projects mean continued construction activity on and off the island. Amprion did not provide details of any additional disruption caused by the repairs, now postponed until 2027. Specific traffic restrictions, beach closures or noise-control requirements depend on the technical repair plans and require approval from the authorities.
The latest information comes from statements by Amprion and reporting by Norddeutscher Rundfunk on 4 November 2026. Forecasts for operations to begin in 2028 are company statements and are identified as such.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).