“uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç

An offshore grid transmission contract valued at more than €1bn has been awarded to Alstom by German North Sea transmission system operator (TSO), TenneT. Alstom will build and deliver the DolWin3 converter station and related subsea and land cables with its partners, platform construction company Nordic Yards and cable manufacturer Prysmian.

The project will include an 83km subsea cable as well as a 79km onshore cable running from the coast to the converter station Dörpen/West in Lower Saxony. The project is scheduled for completion in 2017.

DolWin3 will be the eighth TenneT grid project using direct current technology and the third grid connection built to serve the offshore wind farm cluster known as DolWin, located in the southwest of the German North Sea.

Alstom has also secured a comprehensive five year post-construction service contract covering the offshore converter station, the platform and the onshore converter infrastructure.

Commenting on the contract win, president of Alstom Grid, Grégoire Poux-Guillaume, said: "For DolWin3, TenneT will benefit from Alstom’s advanced technology. As market leader for offshore AC substations and onshore HVDC, we are well positioned to enter the German offshore HVDC market as a new competitor. The collaboration with Nordic Yards and Prysmian, who both have outstanding references, is key to delivering this turnkey contract".

Last week, TenneT’s director for offshore grid development, Wilfried Breuer, told “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç Offshore, that the TSO is exploring how it might revise its procurement strategy in order to protect itself better from it perceives as high-cost bids from the likes of its established OEM suppliers, including Alstom.