In Zeeland, there is space for a maximum of two landfalls of offshore wind farms. Or a maximum of one if two new nuclear power plants are built. The landfalls near Nieuwvliet-Bad provide the shortest underground land route and are therefore the most desirable. This is the advice Zeeland authorities give to the Minister of Climate and Green Growth (KGG).
The Ministry of KGG asked the region to provide a joint advice for the yet to be drafted program Connections Landfalls Wind at Sea (pVAWOZ). The Province of Zeeland coordinated this advice on behalf of the involved authorities in Zeeland: municipalities Sluis, Terneuzen, Borsele, Middelburg, Vlissingen, Goes, Veere and Noord-Beveland and Water Board Scheldestromen.
Regional Advice Zeeland
In the advice, the authorities indicate the necessity and usefulness of landfalls in Zeeland from yet to be built offshore wind farms in the North Sea from 2031. These 2GW farms will contribute significantly to the national CO2-neutral energy mix. The seaport-related and energy-intensive industry present in the province can benefit from this energy supply.
The Ministry of KGG commissioned an Integral Environmental Impact Analysis (IEA) and a related environmental impact study (planMER). It appears that Zeeland has room for a maximum of two landfalls or a maximum of one landfall if two new nuclear power plants are built in Zeeland. It also appears that realizing landfalls via the Western Scheldt is not feasible. The involved authorities endorse these conclusions.
The region considers Nieuwvliet-Bad the most desirable location for the landfall because it is the shortest land route to the Mosselbanken/Paulinapolder area. The parties are negative about a route along the berm of the N61 because this would require long closures of this main infrastructure. This is socially unacceptable in a region dependent on this road for accessibility. They are also negative about a route jumping over the De Braakman nature area because it has too much impact on environmental quality.
Follow-up
The minister will, among other things based on all received regional advice, draft a VAWOZ program. This will incorporate all preferences for the landfalls at the national level. The program will then be published for public inspection in the second quarter of 2026. Anyone who wishes, including the involved authorities, can respond to this inspection. Based on the final program, the ministry will start the spatial project procedure per landfall. This will be at the earliest in 2027.
