Aker Solutions ASA has been selected by Dragados Offshore SA to supply the steel structure for a 2-gigawatt high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter station for the BalWin2 project in the German North Sea. The project, developed by Amprion Offshore GmbH, aims to connect electricity generated by offshore wind farms to the mainland grid.
The contract is classified as “significant” by Aker Solutions, placing it in the NOK1.5bn to NOK2.5bn ($137mn to $228mn) range. It marks the second HVDC converter station awarded under the BalWin development, following a first order disclosed in a stock exchange release on February 10.
Construction in Norway and delivery in 2029
The structure will be built at Aker Solutions’ industrial site in Verdal, Norway. The contract covers procurement, fabrication engineering and construction of the offshore HVDC platform. Preparations will begin in the first quarter of 2026, with construction scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2027. Delivery is expected in 2029.
At its peak, the project will employ over 450 people. The company will record this contract as order intake in the Renewables and Field Development segment in the second quarter of 2025.
Industrial optimisation and standardisation
Aker Solutions plans to leverage its standardisation and industrialisation efforts to enhance productivity on this project. “This second contract will allow us to scale our modular fabrication initiatives and cost-efficiency measures,” said Sturla Magnus, Executive Vice President for the New Build segment, in the May 30 release.
Dragados Offshore, a subsidiary of Spanish group ACS specialising in offshore energy infrastructure, is acting as the main contractor. The BalWin2 project is part of a series of HVDC interconnections initiated by Germany to strengthen electricity transmission capacity from the North Sea to the continental grid.