Ansaldo Energia has signed a contract with TSK UK to supply a 157t synchronous condenser to Statkraft's Necton Greener Grid Park, which is under construction in Norfolk.
The deal covers delivery, commissioning and operator training for the facility, part of the National Energy System Operator's (NESO) Stability Pathfinder Programme awarded in 2022.
The order centres on Ansaldo's TRY-L63 flywheel model, a 10.7m-wide rotating machine designed to bolster the UK's electricity grid as wind and solar generation surges. Synchronous condensers deliver essential services including voltage regulation, reactive power support, short-circuit strength and inertia – replacing the stabilising effects of traditional fossil fuel plants without burning any fuel.
The Necton project addresses growing grid challenges from variable renewables and high-voltage direct current connections, where sudden supply shifts threaten reliability. Statkraft, Europe's largest renewable generator, selected the site near Necton substation after extensive environmental assessments, with construction now under way following planning approval in 2024.
TSK UK Projects director Rubén Ondina called the collaboration a key step in reinforcing the country's grid resilience, noting that it is Statkraft's largest such scheme yet. Ansaldo EVP Stefano Gianatti highlighted the company's decade-long expertise in the technology; Ansaldo first entered the market in 2014 to support the global energy transition with robust, low-maintenance solutions.
