Following a period of testing, grid operator TenneT and Siemens have now initiated the trial run of the 800 MW BorWin2 DC link in the German North Sea. It employs Siemens' HVDC Plus technology. After several weeks of trial operation, the grid link should be able to go into controlled operation mode during the first few months of 2015.
In addition to the HelWin1 facility already undergoing testing, Siemens is currently preparing two additional high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission links in the North Sea for commercial operation for TenneT. Siemens received an order for a fifth direct current link in the spring of 2014.
Siemens installed the BorWin2 HVDC platform, located about 100 km northwest of the island of Borkum, during the summer. Consortium partner Prysmian was responsible for the installation of two 200 km-long submarine cables. After installation of the platform, numerous commissioning tasks were necessary, at times requiring up to 100 employees to simultaneously work on the platform. After successfully connecting the Global Tech 1 wind farm, the BorWin2 link fed electricity into the grid for the first time in initial tests conducted in early September. 50% of the grid connection's capacity is planned for another wind farm. Since construction of the wind turbines has not yet begun, TenneT expects that the 800 MW link will be used at only 50% capacity for the next two years.
In all, Siemens is now implementing five North Sea grid connection projects for TenneT. Projects to date are: HelWin1 (576 MW) and HelWin2 (690 MW) off Helgoland, BorWin2 (800 MW) off Borkum and SylWin1 (864 MW) off Sylt. Siemens received the contract for the BorWin3 link in the spring of 2014; the four other grid link projects are in the advanced stages of completion and will successively go into operation during 2014 and 2015.
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