RWE has installed two offshore substations for its Nordseecluster A wind project in the German North Sea.
The company said the platforms are about 40 m long and 22 m high, with weights of 1,800 t and 2,500 t. They were built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique and installed by SCALDIS using the heavy-lift crane Gulliver.
The substations will raise the voltage of electricity produced by the wind turbines before power is transmitted to the mainland grid. Nordseecluster A has a planned capacity of 660 MW and is scheduled to be fully operational from 2027.
Installation of 44 turbines is due to begin in summer 2026, while cable laying is already underway.
The wider Nordseecluster project is planned to reach 1.6 GW. This includes the 900 MW Nordseecluster B phase, which is expected to come online from 2029.
Tobias Keitel, chief technology officer of RWE Offshore Wind, thanked those involved in delivering the 1.6 GW project. He said the development would expand the company’s offshore wind portfolio and support a sustainable and reliable energy system. He also said the installation of the two heaviest components showed the offshore work was progressing well.
