The consortium between Siemens Energy and Dragados Offshore has secured a contract to build HVDC converter platforms for the LanWin1 and LanWin3 HVDC grid connection projects.
Germany-based transmission system operator Amprion has awarded the contract worth more than €4bn. The contract includes maintenance for 10 years.
The LanWin1 and LanWin3 projects are the first of 2GW bi-pole converter systems awarded, as part of the transmission of electrical energy generated in offshore wind parks in the German North Sea.
Both offshore stations are connected to North Sea wind farms through 66kV AC direct connection systems, and convert the power to 525kV DC voltage for transmission to shore.
The HVDC onshore station for LanWin1 is located at the Wehrendorf grid connection point, and the HVDC onshore station for LanWin3 is located at the Westerkappeln grid connection point.
Both Wehrendorf and Westerkappeln points are connected to the 380kV links, which are planned to be constructed for the AC transmission grid.
The converter stations, with a total transmission capacity of 4GW, will be adequate to supply electricity to a major city like Berlin, said Dragados.
Dragados will offer detailed design and engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, load out, transportation, installation and hook-up of the offshore platform, and installation and commissioning of its platform systems.
The topsides of the platforms are expected to weigh about 24,000 tons each and the jackets around 10,000 tons each.
Siemens Energy’s scope of work under the contract includes the HVDC systems, along with the complete onshore converter stations.
The LanWin1 and LanWin3 are expected to commence commercial operations at the end of 2029 and 2030 respectively.
Dragados Offshore stated: “The award of both LanWin1 and LanWin3 is considered a major milestone for Dragados Offshore as these are the first 2 GW HVDC converter station platforms to be developed in the world, and therefore expands our activities for the offshore wind industry, providing low carbon emission projects for the energy market.
“At the moment of this award, our HVDC project portfolio includes in addition the DolWin6 platform, which is in the offshore completion phase, the BorWin5 platform which is under construction in the yard in Puerto Real and the DolWin4 and BorWin4 platforms, which are in the design phase, both previously awarded by Amprion Offshore.”
