GE Vernova, Seatrium to supply North Sea BalWin5 converter stations

TenneT has commissioned the consortium of GE Vernova and Seatrium to provide the offshore converter platform, onshore converter station and associated electrical equipment for the BalWin5 project in the German North Sea.

This will provide a new 2.2-GW offshore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) grid connection that will transmit power from numerous offshore wind farms to the onshore transmission network in Germany.

BalWin5 is one of various new TenneT offshore grid connection systems designed to speed up integration of large-scale offshore wind energy into the country’s grid. It is the fourth project awarded to the GE Vernova-Seatrium consortium under a five-year framework cooperation agreement, announced in March 2023.

GE Vernova’s Electrification Systems business will deliver the onshore and offshore converter stations and the HVDC technology, including control and protection systems to help sustain stable and secure operation over the transmission network.

Seatrium’s responsibilities cover design and construction of the offshore converter platform and managing transportation and installation in the German North Sea.

The company expects to start work on Jan. 1, executing most of the platform fabrication at its yards in Singapore and Batam.

BalWin5’s 325-km subsea and onshore cable system will link to the grid via the onshore converter station at Bremen-Werderland.