Areva SA

AREVA, through its Transmission & Distribution Sector, was awarded a turnkey contract to modernize the Konti-Skan HVDC link by replacing the aging mercury-arc converter equipment on Pole 1 with new thyristor-based converter stations at Vester Hassing in Denmark and Lindome in Sweden. Under this contract AREVA designed, constructed and supplied all major converter station equipment, including converter transformers, thyristor valve halls, harmonic and DC filters, smoothing reactors, and its Series V digital control and protection system. As part of the scheme, AREVA also implemented a new bipole control system enabling coordinated high-level control of the existing Konti-Skan 2 pole together with the new Pole 1 converters, improving dynamic performance and automation of the overall interconnector. The investment was valued at about EUR 40 million and formed the core of a 2004–2005 refurbishment of the link.