8 December 2020 Greenlink project to connect Irish and UK electricity grids
A planning application is to be submitted this week, for a proposed subsea and underground electricity interconnector cable of approximately 190km to connect the grids in Ireland and the UK.
The Greenlink interconnector has a nominal capacity of 500 megawatts, equivalent to powering 380,000 homes. It will provide a new grid connection between the existing Great Island substation in County Wexford and the UK National Grid’s Pembroke substation in south Wales allowing power to flow in either direction depending on supply and demand in each country. Greenlink represents significant additional interconnection capacity between Ireland and the UK with onward connections to continental Europe.
“In addition to the 250 jobs which will be created during construction, there are a swathe of benefits which interconnection brings including improved energy security, regional investment and competitive energy costs for consumers as well as facilitating the integration of low carbon renewable energy sources. Pending planning approval, it’s our intention to have this project built by the end of 2023,” said Greenlink CEO, Nigel Beresford.
“Greenlink should be ‘shovel-ready’ in 2021. It’s a critical piece of national infrastructure which will greatly support the Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan for decarbonising the energy system. Its development and delivery will, I believe be a catalyst for further transition from fossil fuels, not just for the South East but obviously, the entire island,” said Greenlink board member and Director, Pádraig McManus.
Greenlink is a privately funded interconnector operating under the cap and floor pricing model which guarantees a minimum level of support whilst returning benefits to consumers when markets are buoyant. The Greenlink interconnector is owned jointly by Hudson Clean Energy Funds and Partners Group.
Further information:
Seán Perry
Tel: 087 9105013 Email: sean@keating.ie
Notes to editor:
Greenlink has been awarded Project of Common Interest (PCI) status, making it one of Europe’s most important energy infrastructure projects and granting it the “highest national significance” possible.
Greenlink will use high voltage direct current (HVDC) technology to link the two power systems. HVDC has been selected over an AC connection because AC is technically difficult over this distance. The technology to convert AC to DC is called “voltage current source” (VSC), its main benefit being it reduces the size of the converters (when compared to alternative technologies).
Privately funded to the tune of approximately €450million, Greenlink will bring value to consumers through downward pressure on energy wholesale prices and reducing curtailment. It can also be a catalyst for private investment in affordable low carbon energy and further growth of the green energy industry, both in the South East as well as nationally.
Hudson Clean Energy Funds is a New York based group of investment funds focusing on renewable energy and sustainable technologies. Partners Group is a global private markets investment management firm headquartered in Switzerland with investment programs under management in private equity, private real estate, private infrastructure and private debt.
A copy of a recent Greenlink project newsletter will be available shortly.
More information on the project at www.greenlink.ie
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