wiredInUSA January 2019

Power sharing

Wind project growth

Image: Ralf Christian, Siemens AG

Image: Ørsted

Nemo Link interconnector is a joint venture between the transmission system operators Elia (Belgium) and National Grid (UK), to exchange electricity between the two countries using Siemens HVDC Plus technology. The link uses 140km of subsea and underground cables, and will transmit 1,000MW of electrical power at a transmission voltage of ±400kV DC. Ralf Christian, CEO at Siemens’ energy management division, said: “The collaboration between Elia, National Grid, Siemens and our partners has delivered an exemplar project, on time, on budget, and with outstanding safety. This has been down to the exceptional commitment and solidarity of all the people involved, working as one teamacross Belgium, the UK and Germany. The team should be rightly proud of delivering such class-leading technology.” Nemo Link entered its test phase in early December 2018, and is expected to come into commercial operation in the first quarter of 2019.

Danish energy company Ørsted is to begin construction of the 184MW Locket Wind project in Texas, through its subsidiary Lincoln Clean Energy (LCE). Ørsted expects the wind farm to come into operation in the second half of 2019: it will be its fourth onshore wind farm to go online following its Amazon wind farm, Willow Springs Wind and Tahoka installations. Ørsted Onshore’s executive vice president, Ole Kjems, said: “We’re very pleased that our onshore wind portfolio is growing. Today, LCE has two wind farms in operation, a third that’s nearing completion, and with Lockett Wind our portfolio will reach about 1,000MW in 2019.” LCE is a US-based renewable developer and was acquired by Ørsted in October 2018. LCE has a project portfolio of 513MW recently commissioned, 300MW under construction, and over 1.5GW to be completed by 2022, Ørsted said. Established in 2009 by CEO Declan Flanagan, LCE has developed more than 1.8GW of renewable energy projects in the US states of California, New Jersey and Texas.

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wiredInUSA - January 2019