Five European transmission system operators (TSOs) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation on offshore cable infrastructure in the North Sea, aiming to improve the affordability, efficiency, and reliability of Europe’s future electricity system.

The agreement, signed at WindEurope’s Annual Event in Madrid, brings together Elia (Belgium), Energinet (Denmark), 50Hertz (Germany), and TenneT (Germany and the Netherlands). The initiative marks the beginning of a coordinated European effort to reinforce the resilience of critical infrastructure underpinning the energy transition. It remains open to other TSOs within the Offshore TSO Collaboration (OTC) group.

As offshore wind capacity expands and cross-border interconnections increase, subsea high-voltage cables are becoming a central component of Europe’s electricity system. These assets are essential for transmitting renewable energy to mainland grids, but their complexity and strategic importance mean that failures or prolonged outages can have significant social and economic consequences.

Under the MoU, the participating TSOs will, for at least one year, explore opportunities to align strategic and technical approaches. The cooperation will focus on sharing expertise in repair procedures, spare parts management, and fault detection, as well as jointly assessing the availability of vessels, materials, and technical capabilities. The objective is to identify efficiency gains and develop faster, more cost-effective repair solutions that minimize system disruption.

The initiative will be structured around four thematic working groups covering repair logistics, spare parts and equipment, fault detection, and legal and financial frameworks. These areas are considered critical to reducing downtime in cable systems and ensuring rapid response in the event of failures. The TSOs will assess which solutions can be scaled and how resources can be deployed more efficiently across borders.

The feasibility phase will determine whether the collaboration can evolve into a long-term structural partnership. If successful, the initiative could establish a coordinated framework for managing offshore cable infrastructure across the North Sea.

“With the growth of offshore wind, the reliability of our subsea cables is becoming increasingly crucial,” said Frédéric Dunon, CEO of Elia. “By joining forces with fellow TSOs, we are both improving the operational robustness of the network and ensuring that we deploy resources more intelligently and can respond faster when it matters. This cooperation is in the interest of all of Europe.”