Oct 12 | 2020
(Europe) Grid Connection Between Ireland and France
Power company Réseau de Transport d’Electricité has issued tenders for construction of the ambitious Celtic Interconnector, between Ireland and France.
The complex engineering project will involve extensive breakbulk activity to install and commission a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable link stretching about 575 kilometers.
“The converter stations are currently anticipated to be located close to the 400 kV La Martyre substation, France, and the Knockraha 220 kV substation in County Cork, Ireland. The project is supported by the European Union’s Connecting Europe facility,” a spokesperson for RTE said.
500km Subsea Link
The firm has issued two tenders for engineering, procurement, and construction services. The first of these is focused on the subsea link itself while the second is based on work to construct VSC converter stations in Ireland and France.
The interconnector will feature a HVDC submarine cable section of about 500 kilometers long, an underground DC cable of about 40 kilometers in France, and roughly 32 kilometers of HVDC underground cable in Ireland.
Scope of work for the second contract will involve delivery and installation of electric motors, generators and transformers, telecommunications cable and equipment.
Grid Balancing
Largescale deployment of offshore wind has driven need for greater grid interconnection in Northern Europe and, once commissioned in 2026, the Celtic Interconnector is forecast to transmit up to 700 megawatts of electricity between Ireland and France.
Both contracts will have a duration of five years and the deadline for contractors to submit applications is Nov. 9.
Headquartered in Paris, RTE is a wholly owned subsidiary of French utility Électricité de France.
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