GE Vernova and Seatrium announced on December 11, 2025, that their consortium has been awarded a contract by TenneT to deliver a major part of BalWin5, a new 2.2-gigawatt offshore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) grid connection. The system is designed to transmit electricity from offshore wind farms in the German North Sea to the onshore transmission network in Germany, and is expected to provide enough renewable electricity to power approximately 2.75 million households once operational.

This contract represents the fourth project awarded to the GE Vernova-Seatrium consortium under the five-year Framework Cooperation Agreement with TenneT announced in March 2023. It is also the consortium's first win concerning TenneT's German 2 GW projects.

Project Scope and Technology

Under the contract, GE Vernova's Electrification Systems business is expected to deliver the onshore and offshore converter stations and the complete HVDC technology, including the advanced control and protection systems that help maintain stable and secure operation across the transmission network. HVDC links are designed to support the high-capacity, long-distance transmission of offshore wind power, helping to reduce transmission losses and improve overall system performance.

Seatrium is responsible for the design and construction of the offshore converter platform and will manage transportation and installation in the German North Sea. Works are scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026, with the majority of platform fabrication taking place at Seatrium's yards in Singapore and Batam.

BalWin5 Technical Specifications

BalWin5 is one of TenneT's major new projects to bring more electricity from North Sea wind farms into Germany's power grid. The connection is being designed to carry up to 2.2 gigawatts of wind power to homes and businesses, allowing Germany to make better use of the large offshore wind farms operating in the North Sea.

The additional 200 megawatts above the standard 2-GW design come from building the system with enough technical headroom to transport more power when wind conditions allow. This means more renewable electricity can be delivered without needing extra infrastructure or added cost.

The system will include an offshore converter station in the North Sea, an onshore converter station at Bremen-Werderland, and a combined 325-kilometer sea and land cable system. Commissioning is planned for 2032.

Strategic Significance and Industry Context

BalWin5 is one of TenneT's 2 GW projects. This new generation of powerful offshore grid connection systems is set to speed up the integration of large-scale offshore wind energy into the German grid, thereby supporting the country's energy transition and climate goals. BalWin5 marks an important step in strengthening Germany's electricity infrastructure and supporting the country's long-term goals for energy security and decarbonization.

Today's offshore grid connections are typically much smaller, at around 900 megawatts. Increasing the transmission capacity to 2.2 gigawatts means that the connection can carry more power, making use of the infrastructure more efficiently and reducing the overall cost of bringing offshore wind to shore. By transporting more electricity per system, the cost per megawatt falls and the offshore network becomes more efficient.

TenneT is applying this new standard across several projects through long-term framework agreements, which give suppliers clearer visibility and allow the systems to be delivered faster, more efficiently, and at a lower cost.

Executive Statements

Philippe Piron, CEO of GE Vernova's Electrification Systems business, stated: “BalWin5 reflects the scale and ambition of Germany's energy transition, and we are proud to support TenneT in this important program. Our Electrification Systems business brings decades of innovation in HVDC technology, helping deliver solutions that are designed for efficiency, affordability, and long-term energy security.

Working alongside Seatrium, we are confident in our ability to deliver a high-quality system that strengthens the offshore grid and supports Europe's move toward a more resilient and sustainable electricity infrastructure.”

Samuel Wong, Executive Vice President of Seatrium Energy (Fixed Platforms), commented: “We are proud to extend our partnership with TenneT and GE Vernova to deliver this transformative offshore wind solution as we collectively push boundaries to accelerate energy transition goals and innovation. Leveraging the proven design and experience gained from the first three platforms we are building for TenneT, we are confident in delivering an equally high-quality product safer and more efficiently through our series-build strategy, underpinned by the collective power harnessed from our One Seatrium Global Delivery Model.”

TenneT's BalWin projects are a series of large offshore grid connections designed to transport electricity from wind farms in the German North Sea to the onshore grid. Each project in the BalWin program is built to move significant volumes of renewable energy into Germany's electricity system as part of the country's wider offshore wind expansion.

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