ABB to Modernize Baltic Cable HVDC Link

ABB has won an order from Baltic Cable AB, a subsidiary of Norway’s Statkraft, to upgrade the Baltic Cable HVDC power transmission link. 

The link goes under the Baltic Sea and connects the power grids in Germany and Sweden. As part of the modernization project, ABB will upgrade the control and protection system for the HVDC link with the latest ABB Ability MACH technology.

The 25-mile subsea link has a capacity of 600 MW and a voltage of 450 kV – the highest operating voltage in Germany. The link was built in 1994 to improve the efficiency of power utilization and take advantage of the different patterns of electricity generation and consumption in Sweden and Germany by combining energy resources and facilitating the exchange of electricity.

The upgraded MACH control system acts as the brain of the HVDC link by monitoring, controlling and protecting sophisticated technology in the drive stations. It is equipped with error detection and remote control features. ABB will also replace other older equipment to improve efficiency and reliability.

“The modernization of the Baltic Cable HVDC interconnection will not only enhance performance and reliability but also extend the lifespan of this important link”, said Patrick Fragman, head of ABB’s Grid Integration business, a part of the company’s Power Grids division. “This project reiterates our strategic focus on service and digital technologies. It also reinforces our market and technology-leading position in HVDC as a partner of choice for enabling a stronger, smarter and greener grid.”