AREVA’s Transmission and Distribution (T&D) Division has been awarded a contract by German wind farm developer Sandbank 24 to study grid connection options for the Sandbank 24 offshore wind farm.

This project is to be located in the North Sea, off the German coast. The 360 to 400MW pilot phase has already received planning permission and is due to start in 2006. The pilot phase will consist of 80 single wind turbine generators with a capacity of 4.5 to 5MW each and will be connected to the electricity transmission network. AREVA T&D will consider three different proposals for the pilot phase with a view to their possible use in the proposed final 4.5GW installation. These are: