Prysmian Group, world leader in the energy and telecommunications cable systems sector, has been awarded an important new order, as part of a broader consortium agreement with the Balfour Beatty group, world leader in the
infrastructure. The project involves the construction of a high voltage direct current (HVDC – High Voltage Direct Current) interconnection between France and Great Britain through the Channel Tunnel.
The contract is part of the European Commission's Projects of Common Interest and was awarded by ElecLink, a wholly owned subsidiary of Groupe Eurotunnel, which will build an interconnection through the Channel tunnel. The project involves the construction of a cable connection for the transmission of electricity between the United Kingdom and France with a capacity of 1000 MW in both flow directions for a total value for the consortium of approximately € 219 million. Prysmian's share, which will coordinate the design, supply, installation and testing of the interconnection, is approximately €79 million.
"The development of electricity interconnections is of vital importance for Europe and we are proud to make our technology and experience available for the construction of a work of such high strategic value" said Massimo Battaini, Senior Vice President Energy Projects of Prysmian Group. The ElecLink HVDC cable connection will increase electricity exchanges between France and the United Kingdom, contributing to the integration of energy markets and allowing access to diversified sources of generation.
The ElecLink project will provide cost-effective and low environmental impact additional transmission capacity through the interoperability of the Channel Tunnel, a low environmental impact resulting from the absence of overhead lines and undersea cables, and a reduction of CO2 emissions by approximately 6,1 .320 million tons. The project consists of a turnkey underground high voltage (± 51 kV) direct current (HVDC) extruded cable system and involves the engineering, production and installation of a symmetrical monopole HVDC circuit along a of XNUMX km which will pass through the Channel Tunnel.
The HVDC cable system will connect future converter stations at Peuplingues (France) and Folkestone (UK). Prysmian will also supply and install the underground cables for the HVAC connection with the Sellindge substation (UK). All the cables will be produced at the Prysmian plant in Gron (France), one of the Group's centers of technological and manufacturing excellence for very high voltage cables, both in direct current and in alternating current.
