EUR1bn contracts awarded for 2GW transmission project in Germany

German grid operator Amprion GmbH has awarded contracts valued at EUR 1 billion (US$1.1 billion) to Prysmian Powerlink Srl, a unit of Italy’s Prysmian SpA, and Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd, a unit of Japan-based Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd, for the development of the 2 GW A-Nord A-Nord Transmission Link Project in Germany. 

Each of Prysmian and Sumitomo has won a contract value of EUR 500 million (US$541.670 million). The cable systems from Sumitomo and Prysmian each work with new insulating material in the voltage level and are designed for a DC voltage of up to 525 kilovolts. Prysmian will design, manufacture, supply, lay, joint, test, and commission the high voltage direct current (HVDC) insulated cable system for the Northern route of the German Corridor “A” electricity transmission project. The cable will be integrated with the PRY-CAM monitoring system. Sumitomo will execute its contract in partnership with Suedkabel GmbH.

The A-Nord direct current connection is to transport two gigawatts of wind power from the North Sea to the consumption centers in the Rhineland and the Ruhr area. The 300 km underground cable route connects the two network connection points Emden Ost and Osterath.

The construction of the project is set to start in 2023.

A-Nord forms the northern part of Corridor A project. It is one of the main arteries of the energy transition. The southern part of corridor A is the Ultranet, another direct current connection that transports the electricity to Philippsburg in Baden-Württemberg. Together, A-Nord and Ultranet form a multi-terminal system with three converter stations - a technically unique project in the context of the energy transition and network expansion.