Amprion Offshore has awarded the civil engineering work for the offshore grid connection systems BalWin1 and BalWin2: The transmission system operator is relying on companies and bidding groups from the project region. The first work is scheduled to begin in 2026.

The offshore grid connection systems BalWin1 and BalWin2 connect offshore wind farms with the transmission grid on land. They are installed largely parallel to each other on both the land and sea sides. Both projects can each transmit an output of 2,000 megawatts. This corresponds to the needs of around 4 million people. “With the awarding of the civil engineering work, we have now secured contracts for all major trades for BalWin1 and BalWin2 and are getting closer to implementation,” said Dr. Carsten Lehmköster, Managing Director of Amprion Offshore GmbH.

For the civil engineering work required to construct the cable protection pipe system, the landside route was divided into three construction lots. The transmission system operator has now awarded the contracts: De Romein GmbH, based in Apen, has been awarded the contract for the first construction lot from the coast to Bösel with a route of around 106 kilometers.

Construction lot 2 from Bösel to Bramsche-Hesepe, with a distance of around 74 kilometers, was awarded to the Northwest Working Group. It consists of the companies Johann Bunte Bauunternehmung SE & Co. KG, Depenbrock Bau GmbH & Co. KG, Anton Meyer GmbH & Co. KG, Bernhard Heckmann GmbH & Co. KG, Knoll GmbH & Co. KG, Reinhard Rohrbau GmbH, Hölscher Wasserbau GmbH and Epping Rohrvortrieb GmbH & Co. KG.

Construction lot 3 concerns the area from Bramsche-Hesepe west to Ibbenbüren and east to Bohmte. Köster GmbH from Osnabrück will be responsible for the work covering a distance of around 62 kilometers. The companies commissioned will build the cable protection pipe system into which the underground cables will later be pulled.

FOCUS ON EXPERTISE AND REGIONALITY

“We encounter many structural challenges along the route, which is around 240 kilometers long. With the award that has now taken place, we are excellently prepared for this. On the one hand, the companies bring great expertise and many years of experience, but on the other hand, they are all based in the project region and are therefore familiar with the local conditions,” says Raphael Denter, responsible project manager at Amprion. “We are currently expecting a construction period of around three years for the entire route between 2026 and 2029.”

Amprion will submit the documents for the planning approval process in 2025, in which the specific route and other aspects such as construction will be determined. The planning approval decisions and thus also the building permits are expected in 2026.

THE OFFSHORE GRID CONNECTION SYSTEMS BALWIN1 AND BALWIN2

From the North Sea wind farms, the cables initially run 155 or 165 kilometers out to sea. You pass under the island of Norderney and reach the coast in the Hilgenriedersiel area. Around 205 and 215 kilometers of underground cables will be laid on the landside part of BalWin1 and BalWin2. In order to get to their respective network connection points in Wehrendorf (BalWin1) and Westerkappeln (BalWin2), the projects will separate on the last part of the route.