The Celtic Interconnector is a planned 700 MW

high-voltage direct current A high-voltage direct current (HVDC) electric power transmission system (also called a power superhighway or an electrical superhighway) uses direct current (DC) for electric power transmission, in contrast with the more common alternating curre ...

(HVDC)

submarine power cable A submarine power cable is a transmission cable for carrying electric power below the surface of the water.EirGrid EirGrid plc is the state-owned electric power transmission operator in Ireland. It is a public limited company registered under the Companies Acts; its shares are held by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications. It is one of ...

stated in 2022 that the interconnector was arguably "the most important Irish infrastructure project for this decade".

Route

The cable is due to run between the Knockraha substation in

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns ar ...

to the La Martyre substation in

Finistère Finistère (, ; br, Penn-ar-Bed ) is a department of France in the extreme west of Brittany. In 2019, it had a population of 915,090.

. Of its total length of , will pass through Irish, British and French waters of the

Celtic Sea The Celtic Sea ; cy, Y Môr Celtaidd ; kw, An Mor Keltek ; br, Ar Mor Keltiek ; french: La mer Celtique is the area of the Atlantic Ocean off the southern coast of Ireland bounded to the east by Saint George's Channel; other limits includ ...

Status

On 14 Sept 2022, the UK

Marine Management Organisation The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is an executive non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom established under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, with responsibility for English waters. The MMO exists to make a significant cont ...

granted a licence for the project to proceed. This was the last major license required before Step 6 construction could start in late 2022. Project step six, construction and energisation, is scheduled to take place from 2022 to 2026. As of November 2022, the interconnector was "due to be completed and operational by 2026".

Technical specification

The electrical

interconnector An interconnector (also known as a DC tie in the USA) is a structure which enables high voltage DC electricity to flow between electrical grids. An electrical interconnector allows electricity to flow between separate AC networks, or to link sy ...

, which will be the first between the two countries, had an initial expected cost of €1billion and a planned capacity of 700MW. The project also includes plans for a direct

fibre optic An optical fiber, or optical fibre in Commonwealth English, is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means ...

communications link between Ireland and France.

Project promoters

The project is a joint venture between the Irish transmission system operator (TSO)

EirGrid EirGrid plc is the state-owned electric power transmission operator in Ireland. It is a public limited company registered under the Companies Acts; its shares are held by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications. It is one of ...

and French TSO Réseau de Transport d'Électricité (RTE) for the purpose of improving security of supply, reducing consumer electricity costs and supporting the development of renewable energy.

Project economics

, the interconnector was expected to cost €1.6billion. According to the then Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, "The Celtic Interconnector will bring tangible benefits to the citizens of both France and Ireland by promoting the use of renewable energy, bringing down electricity prices, and helping ensure security of energy supply".

Project history

In July 2016, after completion of a

feasibility study A feasibility study is an assessment of the practicality of a project or system. A feasibility study aims to objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknesses of an existing business or proposed venture, opportunities and threats pr ...

the two countries agreed to proceed with a two-year planning phase. This included an economic assessment, environmental considerations and will determine the placement of the cable and onshore stations, while a decision initially due on the project is foreseen for 2020 or 2021. In May 2018, the project was granted a foreshore license to begin marine surveys for the potential landing sites at Ballinwilling, Claycastle and Redbarn beaches, County Cork. In 2018, the project was given preliminary approval for European Investment Bank funding as part of preparations by Ireland for Brexit, for €530million. By 2019, the project had been designated a European Project of Common Interest as part of the

European Super Grid The European super grid is a possible future super grid that would ultimately interconnect the various European countries and the regions around Europe's borders – including North Africa, Kazakhstan, and Turkey – with a high-voltage ...

. Three potential landing sites on the Cork coast were identified and six locations (Ballyadam, Leamlara, Knockraha, Pigeon Hill, Kilquane and Ballyvatta) were under consideration for the HVDC converter station. By 2019, due to the potential impact of

Brexit Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 CET).The UK also left the European Atomic Energy Community (EAE ...

on electricity trading over the existing Ireland UK HVDC interconnectors, planning for the Celtic Interconnector had accelerated. In December 2020, EirGrid and RTE signed a €520million

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body ...

funding agreement for the Celtic Interconnector. As of 2021, the cable was expected to be operational by 2026. In August 2021, the project was at step five in the planning process and was expected to continue until 2022. In May 2022, An Bord Pleanala granted permission for the onshore portion of the project while in August 2022, the Department for Housing Local Government and Heritage granted the project a foreshore licence, an important permit for the undersea work involved. In November 2022, final construction and finance agreements were signed off by the Irish and French governments at the Irish embassy in Paris.

References

External links

*{{Official, https://www.celticinterconnector.eu/ga/
Map with power line and tentative substation locationsPoste Electrique De La Martyre, Unnamed Road, 29800 La Martyre, France (map)RTE video clip
Electrical interconnectors to and from the island of Ireland Electrical interconnectors to and from the Synchronous Grid of Continental Europe HVDC transmission lines Proposed electric power infrastructure in the Republic of Ireland Proposed electric power infrastructure in France Proposed electric power transmission systems