TenneT TSO awards replacement construction project of the 380-/220-/110-kV Conneforde electrical substation
On behalf of TenneT TSO GmbH, EQOS Energie is constructing a replacement for the Conneforde substation as part of the network expansion in the Weser/Ems region. The overall project, which includes a total of four systems, will be completed by the end of November 2023. During the period of construction, existing overhead lines will be rerouted and in part converted from 220 kV to 380 kV. By doing so, following the commission involving the Würgau substation in January of this year, EQOS Energie was able to secure the second larger project for 2020 with TenneT TSO in the area of switchgear construction.
The Conneforde substation – located between Bremen and Wilhelmshaven – is an important node in the German power network. Responsible for this node are maximum-voltage (380 kV) network operator TenneT TSO GmbH and Avacon Netz GmbH, who are in charge of the high-voltage (110 kV) network.
Comprehensive renewals for the energy transformation
In Germany, the political framework is aiming at the vigorous expansion of renewable energy systems. This, in turn, has impacts on the power network, and lines as well as substations such as Conneforde must be expanded. While the replacement construction of the 110-kV system of the Conneforde substation, which is owned by Avacon, is already being conducted by EQOS Energie, TenneT TSO now also awarded the commission for renewing and expanding their systems in that location to EQOS Energie. The previous substation works at the following voltage levels: one at 110 kV, one at 220 kV and two at 380 kV. During the project, EQOS Energie will integrate three new transformer cubicles into the 110-kV electrical substation and connect them to the network. In the construction lot of the 220-kV system, initially individual cubicles will be dismantled before the new construction of the control panels can be started. Subsequently, the 380-kV in Conneforde will be renewed in partial lots. Initially, the two lines will be rerouted to the new 220-kV system. In the next section, some busbars will be disassembled and the 220-kV connection will be severed before the control panels are newly constructed. For the other Conneforde East 380-kV system, which is connected to the 380-kV Conneforde system, busbars and the bypass busbar are disassembled in partial sections in parallel. In addition, two transformer cubicles will be dismantled. Only then can the new construction of nine control panels start in partial lots to make the entire system fit for the requirements of renewable energies by the end of November 2023.
In doing so, EQOS Energie will coordinate all subsections and will be on site with up to 14 staff members simultaneously. Wladimir Haak, head of the profit center Substations/HS Facilities Northern Germany, and his team are happy about the awarded commission for the Energy Technology business unit:“Based on the renewal work, EQOS Energie provides both clients with more supply certainty and operational safety in power supply and makes the Conneforde substation state of the art in electrical technology. For us, this project is so special, because we can demonstrate our expertise at all voltage levels over a long period of time.”
The remodeling and expansion work will serve to enable the energy transformation: This way, additional power produced primarily by wind energy systems can be captured and routed to consumers.