DEME and Prysmian have begun work on the Veerse Meer cables for TenneT, laying 525 kV cables through the Dutch lake for IJmuiden Ver Alpha and Nederwiek 1. The links will carry power generated by future North Sea wind farms towards the onshore grid.
Each link will have four cables in the lake: two for high-voltage transmission, one spare and one for fibre-optic communications. The route reaches land at Banjaardstrand near Kamperland, crosses beneath the Veerse Gatdam and continues through the lake towards Borssele.
For the lake crossing, DEME designed a pontoon equipped with handling machinery and cable carousels. The arrangement allows the power, spare and fibre-optic cables to be handled together.
Burial is carried out vertically. Pressurised water jets loosen the sand below the cables so they can descend to at least three metres beneath the lakebed. As the pontoon progresses, the sand settles around the buried cables. According to DEME’s installation update, the method reduces clouding of the water and disturbance to the surrounding environment.
Navigation remains subject to local restrictions during construction. In its notice to waterway users, the municipality of Veere warns that access to parts of the lake and marinas may be restricted temporarily. It also instructs boaters to keep clear of the pontoon’s safety zone and anchor lines.
Installation is expected to run into spring 2027. DEME says the schedule is intended to leave the lake available for summer recreation and water sports.
