Important Milestone: Substations for Nordseecluster A Offshore Wind Farm Ready for Installation in the North Sea

Saint-Nazaire (France) - The energy group RWE and Norges Bank Investment Management have reached an important milestone in the large-scale offshore wind project Nordseecluster A with the completion of two offshore substations. The offshore wind farm in the German North Sea is scheduled to go into operation in early 2027.

The two substations now completed for Nordseecluster A are approximately 40 meters long and weigh up to 2,500 tonnes. They are scheduled to be installed offshore in February 2026. In the future, the platforms will bundle the electricity generated offshore by the wind turbines and transmit it to shore. In addition, the two structures will enable remote monitoring and control of the wind farm from land.

Offshore substations for Nordseecluster A ready for installation in the North Sea

In Saint-Nazaire, France, the shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique has completed two offshore substations for the Nordseecluster A offshore wind farm. Each platform measures around 40 meters in length and 22 meters in height. The first platform weighs 1,800 tonnes and has a grid connection capacity of 225 MW. The second weighs 2,500 tonnes and has a connection capacity of 433 MW. Both substations will be transported offshore within approximately eight days to a site around 50 kilometers north of the German island of Juist.

Tobias Keitel, CTO of RWE Offshore Wind, stated: “ t is impressive to see these two large topsides ready for installation in the German North Sea. With the foundations already in place, everything is prepared for the upcoming ‘wedding at sea’.” He thanked Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Norges Bank Investment Management, and all project partners, emphasizing: “With this 1.6-gigawatt cluster, RWE is significantly expanding its offshore wind portfolio and helping to deliver a reliable, clean, and affordable energy system.“

Frédéric Grizaud, Senior Vice President Marine Renewable Energies at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, said: “Delivering two offshore substations simultaneously is a major achievement for our teams and reflects both their commitment and technical expertise. This project demonstrates the international competitiveness of the French offshore wind industry.”

Nordseecluster A on track – planning for Nordseecluster B underway

Nordseecluster is one of the largest offshore wind projects currently under construction off the German coast. A total capacity of up to 1,600 megawatts is planned, divided into two development phases. Nordseecluster A, with 660 megawatts, is currently under construction and is expected to go into operation in early 2027. Installation of the 44 wind turbines is planned for 2026.

Offshore construction work for Nordseecluster A is currently progressing as scheduled. The foundations were completed at the end of 2025. Instead of using foundations with a separate transition piece, extended single monopiles were installed. These were equipped offshore with secondary steel structures consisting of an access ladder, a foundation working platform, and an internal monopile structure. This design reduced the total amount of steel required. Currently, the inter-array cables are being installed at Nordseecluster A. Installation of the 44 wind turbines will begin in summer 2026.

The second development phase, Nordseecluster B, is scheduled to contribute an additional 900 MW with its 60 wind turbines starting in early 2029. According to RWE, production of the foundations for this project phase has already begun, although the substations for B have not yet been built.

The Nordseecluster offshore wind farm complex is a joint offshore wind project by RWE (51 percent) and Norges Bank Investment Management (49 percent). RWE is responsible for the construction and operation of the Nordseecluster offshore wind farms throughout their entire lifecycle.

Source: IWR Online, 12 Feb 2026