GE Vernova and Seatrium secure contract from TenneT to connect North Sea wind power to Germany’s grid

GE Vernova and Seatrium announced that their consortium has been awarded a contract by TenneT to deliver a major part of BalWin5, a new 2.2-gigawatt (GW) offshore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) grid connection designed to transmit electricity from offshore wind farms in the German North Sea to the onshore transmission network in Germany.

When commissioned, BalWin5 is projected to deliver sufficient renewable power to supply around 2.75 million homes. The project forms part of TenneT’s 2-GW offshore grid-connection programme and represents the fourth contract secured by the GE Vernova–Seatrium consortium under the five-year Framework Cooperation Agreement signed in March 2023. It is also the consortium’s first award linked specifically to TenneT’s German 2-GW projects. 

Under the agreement, GE Vernova’s Electrification Systems unit will supply the full HVDC solution, including the onshore and offshore converter stations as well as advanced control and protection systems that ensure reliable and secure grid operation. HVDC connections are specifically engineered for the efficient, high-capacity transmission of offshore wind energy over long distances, minimizing power losses and enhancing overall network performance. Seatrium is responsible for the design and construction of the offshore converter platform and will manage transportation and installation in the German North Sea. Works are scheduled to commence on 1 January 2026, with the majority of platform fabrication taking place at Seatrium’s yards in Singapore and Batam.

TenneT’s BalWin programme comprises a set of large-scale offshore grid links developed to carry electricity from wind farms in the German North Sea to the mainland transmission network. BalWin5 is one of the flagship projects within this portfolio, aimed at increasing the volume of offshore wind power supplied to Germany’s grid. While based on a standard 2-GW design, the connection is engineered to transmit up to 2.2 GW by incorporating additional technical capacity, allowing more electricity to flow during favourable wind conditions without requiring extra infrastructure or additional investment. The system will include an offshore converter station in the North Sea, an onshore converter station at Bremen-Werderland, and a combined 325-km sea and land cable system. Commissioning is planned for 2032.