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| Celtic Interconnector | |
|---|---|
| Name | Celtic Interconnector |
| Type | HVDC submarine power cable |
| Country1 | Ireland |
| Country2 | France |
| Start | County Wexford |
| Finish | Brittany |
| Owner | EirGrid; Réseau de Transport d'Électricité |
| Length | approx. 575 km |
| Capacity | 700 MW |
| Voltage | ±320 kV |
| Status | under construction / commissioning |
Celtic Interconnector The Celtic Interconnector is a high‑voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine electricity link between Ireland and France, designed to enhance cross‑border transmission between EirGrid and Réseau de Transport d'Électricité. The project connects landing points in County Wexford and Brittany, integrates with the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity framework, and aligns with objectives set by the European Commission, European Union energy policy, and the Ten‑Year Network Development Plan. The link aims to bolster energy security, facilitate renewable integration, and support market coupling across Nordic power market and ENTSO-E regions.
The interconnector is an HVDC bipolar ±320 kV system with a nominal transfer capacity of 700 MW linking the Single Electricity Market (Ireland) with the French power grid operated by RTE (Réseau de Transport d'Électricité). It is part of the PCI (Projects of Common Interest) list endorsed by the European Commission and receives funding mechanisms involving the Connecting Europe Facility and national finance from Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (Ireland) and Ministry of Ecological Transition (France). The project contributes to North Sea Wind Power Hub connectivity ambitions, supports offshore wind integration and complements interconnectors such as East–West Interconnector and IFA.
Initial feasibility studies involved EirGrid, RTE, and consultants with input from Agence de l'environnement et de la maîtrise de l'énergie and Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. The proposal grew from EU cross‑border integration initiatives after the Third Energy Package and subsequent policy guidance following the 2009/72/EC directive. Milestones include designation as a PCI in the 2010s, environmental assessments involving European Environmental Agency standards, and procurement phases influenced by companies like Alstom, ABB, Siemens Energy, and Nexans. Political support came from the Irish government, the French government, the European Investment Bank, and regional authorities in Brittany and County Wexford.
Technical design specifies bipolar HVDC with voltage‑sourced converters (VSC) at converter stations sited near Great Island (County Wexford) side and Brittany end; converter topology considered includes modular multilevel converters developed by Siemens Energy and GE Grid Solutions. Submarine cable architecture uses cross‑bonded insulation systems and mass‑impregnated or extruded XLPE cores manufactured by firms like Nexans and Prysmian Group. Optical fibre pairs are embedded for control telemetry similar to installations in the BritNed and NordLink projects. Protection and control interfaces comply with ENTSO‑E codes and CENELEC standards.
The route traverses the Celtic Sea seabed from near Baginbun Strand in County Wexford to landing near Brittany coastlines, avoiding marine protected zones established under Natura 2000 and OSPAR Convention designations. Onshore corridors were coordinated with local authorities in Wexford Borough Council and regional councils in Brittany, with cable‑laying vessels, horizontal directional drilling at shore approaches, and jointing and testing carried out at staging ports similar to practices at Dieppe and Rosslare Harbour. Construction scheduling referenced lessons from East–West Interconnector and IFA2 to mitigate weather windows, fisheries impacts involving European Fisheries Control Agency consultations, and archaeological assessments under National Monuments Service (Ireland) and Service régional de l'archéologie (France) oversight.
Ownership is a bilateral arrangement involving EirGrid and Réseau de Transport d'Électricité (RTE), with financing blended from the European Investment Bank, the Connecting Europe Facility, national budgets of Ireland and France, and commercial debt underwritten by banks experienced in infrastructure such as European Bank for Reconstruction and Development lenders. Costs were benchmarked against interconnectors like BritNed and East–West Interconnector, and value propositions were evaluated using models aligned with ACER market framework and ENTSO‑E cost‑benefit analysis methodologies.
Environmental impact assessments involved Natura 2000 habitat appraisals, consultations with the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Agence Française pour la Biodiversité, and compliance with Water Framework Directive and Habitats Directive protections. Regulatory approvals required engagement with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (Ireland), Commission de régulation de l'énergie (France), and coordination under the European Commission State aid and market integration rules. Mitigation measures addressed seabed disturbance, electromagnetic field concerns raised by International Commission on Non‑Ionizing Radiation Protection, and fisheries compensation schemes negotiated with Irish South and East Fish Producers Organisation.
Projected impacts include enhanced security of supply during continental outages analogous to lessons from 2006 European blackout responses, facilitation of increased exports from Irish renewable generation such as Turlough Hill‑connected systems and Arklow Bank Wind Park integration, and improved market liquidity within the Single Electricity Market and European Internal Energy Market. Macro benefits cite reduced curtailment of onshore wind and offshore wind resources, price convergence observed in cross‑border interconnector markets like Nemo Link and IFA2, and strategic value for energy resilience considered in EU Green Deal pathways.
Long‑term plans explore capacity uprates, multi‑terminal HVDC options linking to United Kingdom and Spain interconnectors, and integration with proposed Greenlink and North Sea Wind Power Hub initiatives. Technical upgrades could adopt higher voltage classes or hybrid AC/DC converter stations influenced by research at ENTSO‑E and pilot projects led by CIGRÉ. Policy coordination will involve European Commission climate targets, and financing models may include green bonds and participation from European Investment Fund instruments.
Category:Electric power transmission in Ireland Category:Electric power transmission in France