Alstom to build HVDC VSC converter stations for the France-Italy transmission link

Alstom has been awarded a contract worth over 300 million by TERNA Rete Italia, a company fully owned by TERNA, the Italian electricity transmission system operator, and Réseau de Transport d'Électricité (RTE), its French counterpart, to build two High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) converter stations  for the transmission link between France and Italy.

Alstom will design, manufacture and commission two converter stations (2x600 MW, +/- 320 kV) containing Alstoms VSC MaxSine^TMVoltage Source Converter technology. Alternating Current (AC) will be converted from each countrys electrical network into Direct Current (DC) for transmission and vice versa. The contract also includes maintenance for the converter station in France.

Alstom is pleased to be working with TERNA and RTE on this project. Alstoms VSC technology is both compact and versatile. As such, it will optimise the existing infrastructure, and preserve the Alps fragile eco system, said Patrick Plas, Senior Vice President, Power Electronics and Automation, Alstom Grid.

Alstom has over 50 years of HVDC expertise and has delivered more than 40 HVDC projects worldwide. This is Alstoms third VSC project in the last three years, following on from Swedens  South West Link, a multi-terminal HVDC grid connecting central and southern networks in the country and  the  Dolwin3 project, connecting 900 MW offshore wind energy from the North sea to the German grid. Alstom is also in the process of executing large scale HVDC projects such as Indias Champa 1 & 2 (800 kV) and Brazils 600 kV Rio Madeira, which at almost 2400km, is the worlds longest transmission line.

Press contacts

Virginie Hourdin-Brémond (Alstom Group)
Tel. +33 (0)1 41 49 21 36
virginie.hourdin-bremond@chq.alstom.com;

Julie Khoo/Aline Besselièvre (Alstom Grid)
Tel: +33 (0)1 49 01 74 48/67 60
julie.khoo@alstom.com
aline.besselievre@alstom.com

Daniela Pradella (Alstom Italia)
Tel: +39 (0)2 348 258 6205
daniela.pradella@alstom.com

Investor relations

Selma Bekhechi/Perrine de Gastines
Tel.: +33 (0)1 57 06 95 39 / +33 (0)1 41 49 21 79

selma.bekhechi@transport.alstom.com 
perrine.de-gastines@chq.alstom.com