The contract has been awarded jointly by the German transmission system operator Amprion and the Belgian counterpart Elia which are leading the development of the Aachen Liège Electricity Grid Overlay (ALEGrO) interconnector project.
Under the contract, Siemens will design, supply, install and commission all the components for both converter stations using HVDC Plus technology.
The HVDC Plus is a highly controllable technology with operational advantages. It is designed to ensure reliability and efficiency in transmitting power independent from specific weather or grid conditions, Siemens said.
Siemens energy management division CEO Ralf Christian said: "HVDC Plus masters the growing challenges from fluctuating renewables."
An infrastructure project which is part of the European electricity highway system, ALEGrO will use 90km long underground cables to link the Belgian and German high-voltage electricity systems.
Amprion managing director Klaus Kleinekorte said: “ALEGrO will make the European electricity network even more secure and powerful. We can control the power flow of the cable with a high degree of accuracy and adjust the volume of electricity and flow direction."
Scheduled to commence operations in 2020, the interconnector project is intended to boost energy security for both countries while supporting the integration of renewable energy.
Elia chief officer infrastructure Markus Berger said: "Allowing for more flow exchanges will improve the working of the market and should lead to lower energy prices."
Image: Officials from Amprion, Elia and Siemens during HVDC converter contract signing ceremony. Photo: Courtesy of Siemens AG.
