Hitachi Energy

Hitachi Energy (through its predecessor ABB) was awarded a contract reported at about €270 million to provide the two HVDC Light converter stations for the 1,000 MW IFA2 interconnector between Great Britain and France. The contract covered the design, manufacture and installation of the onshore VSC HVDC converter stations located near Chilling in Hampshire and at Tourbe in Normandy. Each station converts alternating current from the respective 400 kV grids to ±320 kV direct current for transmission via the subsea and underground cable system and then back to AC on the receiving side. Hitachi Energy supplied the main HVDC equipment, including converter valves, transformers and the MACH control and protection system, and supported testing and commissioning ahead of the link’s energisation and entry into commercial operation in 2020–2021.