Hitachi Energy has secured contracts worth over EUR 2 billion with German transmission system operator Amprion to provide four converter stations for two high-voltage direct current (HVDC) links, aiding Germany’s clean energy transition.
These orders follow an agreement signed in September 2023, where Hitachi Energy was selected as the preferred supplier for converter stations at grid connection points in Heide, Wilhelmshaven, Polsum, and Hamm.
Under the contracts, Hitachi Energy will supply, install, and commission two HVDC Light converter systems capable of transmitting 2 GW of power.
The HVDC links, namely V48 and V49, are part of Korridor B, a high-power transmission route featuring two new underground cable connections. Each connection will have two converter stations, transporting electricity from the North Sea coast in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony to the Ruhr region.
Each underground cable system can transmit 2 GW, enough to power four million people.
“Grids are crucial to Germany’s clean energy transition. Without the grid capacity to move wind energy from the north to areas still reliant on fossil fuels in the south and west, the country cannot achieve decarbonization within the targeted timeframe,” said Niklas Persson, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy’s Business Unit Grid Integration.
The transmission capacity can be increased by another 4 GW through additional empty lines.
The converters will operate at 525 kV, the standard for the latest generation of HVDC links. The converter stations are expected to begin operation in early 2030.
“With Korridor B, we will significantly contribute to supply security in Germany and Europe. The project will deliver green electricity to millions of households and industries in North Rhine-Westphalia starting in the early 2030s,” said Hendrik Neumann, CTO of Amprion.
In other news, Hitachi Energy recently secured a contract from ScottishPower Renewables to provide onshore and offshore grid connection solutions for the East Anglia Two offshore wind farm in the UK.
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