TenneT has completed the transport of the first three large transformers. Each unit weighs up to 400 tonnes and stands more than seven metres tall. Last Saturday night, the transformers were moved from the container terminal to the converter station, where they have now been positioned.
In late February, seven transformers arrived in the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from Liverpool. During the night of 18 to 19 April, the first three were transported in stages over a distance of about 5.5 kilometres to the converter station under construction on Dardanellenstraat. The site will process electricity from the IJmuiden Ver Beta and Gamma offshore wind farms in the coming years.
After delivery, the transformers were placed in their final positions. Further assembly and connection work will take place in the coming weeks, including the installation of components and filling with insulation and cooling oil, with more than 100,000 litres required per unit. Commissioning will follow in stages over the coming years.
The transformers form part of TenneT’s 2 GW grid connections, which bring electricity from offshore wind farms ashore. At the converter station, electricity arrives as direct current and is converted into 380 kV alternating current for transmission via the national grid.
The electricity will be supplied to the Rotterdam port area via the nearby Amaliahaven high-voltage substation. It is also expected to support new applications such as hydrogen production, contributing to a developing energy system in which offshore wind power is used directly for industrial processes.
