The Netherlands: Kersten Europe Finishes Work on HelWin Beta

Grid Connection

June 24, 2013

The production of 360 conical and cylindrical parts has been awarded to Kersten Europe. The cylinders and cones will be used as nodes for the Converter Deck, AUX Power Deck, GIS Deck, Reactor Deck, HVAC Deck and the Top Deck of HelWin beta

The HelWin Beta platform is developed by Heerema Fabrication Group and Siemens for electricity grid operator TenneT. The platform will connect a large wind farm cluster in the German part of the North Sea.

It will receive alternating current and converts it into direct current before transporting it onshore via subsea cables.

Offshore Wind farm Amrumbank West (288MW) shall be the first of a total of three wind farms to be connected to HVDC-station HelWin beta.

Dimensions of the platform are 100 x 35 x 25 meters. At the Dutch production site, Kersten Europe made cylindrical and conical parts for the nodes. Kersten Europe delivered 360 items with a total weight of 500,000 kg.

Mike Minten, Account Manager Offshore & Renewable Energy at Kersten Europe: “For the HelWin beta project we had a close cooperation with Heerema Fabrication Group. The pleasant co-operation even resulted in a new order for the Talisman Montrose BLP-project”.

For HelWin beta, Kersten Europe has cut, bent, assembled and welded together steel plates (S460 G2+M quality) according to DNV-OS-C401 norms. Non-destructive testing has been carried out. The cylinders and cones have a wall-thickness between 10-50 mm, a diameter of 457-2.000mm and a length between 366 and 3.500 mm.

“In 2012 we started the Business Unit Renewable Energy which focusses primarily on this dynamic market” Minten continues. “We notice that more and more often our specialism in bending technology is being used for interesting offshore wind projects”.

HelWin beta is part of the HelWin2 offshore grid connection and can transport a maximum capacity of 690 MW. This equals the energy consumption of 500,000 German households. Construction work for the platform started in October 2012 and the offshore grid connection is planned for operation in the first quarter of 2015.

[mappress]

Press release, June 24, 2013; Image: kersteneurope