Construction work offshore and on land for the Ostwind 2 grid connection project is still in full swing. After the Lubmin substation was initially expanded in size, the transmission capacity is now being expanded. For this reason, new transformers have been delivered in recent months.
Once completed, the Ostwind 2 grid connection will be able to supply 750 megawatts (MW) of wind energy to German consumers. This energy will be transmitted via three 220 kV sea cables to the transformer station, then transformed and fed into the 380 kV grid. This electricity conversion and transmission into the German high-voltage grid takes place at the grid connection point – the Lubmin substation, which is also the grid connection point for the grid connection of the two operational offshore wind farms Wikinger and Arkona.
Since the capacities of the existing transformers are not sufficient to convert the additional energy from Ostwind 2, additional transformers were recently delivered. The transformers should be ready for operation by the end of this year.
Transporting the transformers was a logistical challenge, initially taking place both by sea and via inland and coastal waters, and then continuing by road between the port of Lubmin to the transformer station. Partially due to the length and width of the heavy transport, obstacles such as traffic signs had to be removed and heavy steel plates laid out to protect and support paths and roads. In order to restrict road traffic as little as possible, the transports on the road did not take place until after 10 pm. Once they arrived at the Lubmin transformer station, the transformers were placed on a concrete foundation fitted with rails.
Preparatory work for connecting the transformers is currently taking place. This includes the installation of cooling systems and filling with insulating oil. Afterwards, the first functional tests will be carried out.
To protect people and the environment, 50Hertz adheres to legally prescribed limits. Since transformers and the intermediate compensation, reactors always cause noise due to the characteristics of the power grid, additional noise barriers are being installed. These are up to 8.6 metres high and are anchored deep in the ground.
Ostwind 2 is the project to connect the Baltic Sea wind farms Arcadis Ost 1 and Baltic Eagle to the German extra-high voltage grid. For the transmission of power from the two wind farms, 50Hertz plans to build three submarine cable systems, which will transmit a total of 750 megawatts (MW) of power. Arcadis Ost 1, the wind farm of the Belgian company Parkwind, is located in the West of Arkona cluster. Baltic Eagle, the project of the Spanish energy company Iberdrola, is located in the Arkona Sea cluster. It is about 20 kilometres (Arcadis Ost 1) or 30 kilometres (Baltic Eagle) to the nearest coast of Rügen, and about 90 kilometres to Lubmin to the transformer station to the Greifswalder Bodden.
Source: 50Hertz
