:Greenlink

{{short description|Submarine HVDC interconnector between the UK and Ireland}}

{{Infobox power transmission line

| name = Greenlink Interconnector

| photo =

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| map_caption = County Wexford, Ireland and Pembrokeshire, Wales

| country = Ireland, United Kingdom

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| direction = east-west

| start = Ireland

| through = St George's Channel

| finish = Wales

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| est =29 January 2025

| decom =

| type = Submarine cable

| current_type = HVDC

| length_km = 190

| capacity = 500{{nbsp}}MW

| AC_voltage = 400{{nbsp}}kV (UK); 220{{nbsp}}kV (Ireland)

| DC_voltage = 320{{nbsp}}kV

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}}

Greenlink is a 190{{nbsp}}km long 500{{nbsp}}MW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine power cable between County Wexford in Ireland and Pembrokeshire in Wales.{{cite press release |url=https://www.greenlink.ie/post/greenlink-interconnector-reaches-financial-close |website=greenlink.ie |title=Greenlink Interconnector reaches financial close |date=2022-03-21 |access-date=2023-09-07}}

Route

The cable runs between EirGrid's Great Island substation in County Wexford, and National Grid's Pembroke substation in Pembrokeshire, with the cable making landfall at Baginbun Beach near Fethard-on-Sea in Ireland and at Freshwater West beach near Castlemartin in Wales. The total length is {{convert|200|km|mi|abbr=in|-1}}, of which {{convert|160|km|mi|abbr=in|-1}} is under the sea.{{cite web |title=TEN-E Regulation Information Brochure Issue 3 |url=https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/fe51dc_927d7f84597242a7b6759f5fbd497dbf.pdf |website=Greenlink |accessdate=11 November 2019 |date=June 2019}}

Specification

The HVDC link is configured as a symmetrical monopole, with DC voltages of ±320{{nbsp}}kV, and nominal power rating of 500{{nbsp}}MW. The project is expected to cost €400{{nbsp}}million.{{cite web |title=Greenlink Interconnector |url=https://www.4coffshore.com/transmission/interconnector-greenlink-icid60.html |website=4Coffshore |accessdate=24 October 2019}}

Project history

Subsea surveys were undertaken in 2018, and public consultations in 2019.

In April 2020, the company submitted three planning applications for onshore construction in Wales.{{cite web |title=Greenlink interconnector submits planning applications for onshore works in Wales |date=22 April 2020 |url=https://www.greenlink.ie/post/greenlink-interconnector-submits-planning-applicationsfor-onshore-works-in-wales |publisher=Greenlink |accessdate=4 June 2020}}

The project still required planning permission and marine licences in both the United Kingdom and in Ireland, but the process of procuring construction contracts had started.{{cite news |last1=Connolly |first1=Philip |title=Element Power's Greenlink interconnector energises Partners Group |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/element-power-s-greenlink-interconnector-energises-partners-group-th587rrbr |url-access=limited |access-date=24 October 2019 |work=The Sunday Times |date=17 March 2019 |location=London}}{{cite web |title=The Project: Overview |url=https://www.greenlink.ie/project-overview |website=Greenlink Interconnector |accessdate=24 October 2019}}

In March 2021, the project was granted a licence to install the sea cable in UK waters, with a similar licence for Irish waters still pending. {{Asof|March 2021}}, commissioning of the interconnector was planned for the end of 2023.{{cite news|url= https://www.4coffshore.com/news/greenlink-gets-the-greenlight-from-natural-resources-wales-nid21079.html |title= Greenlink gets the greenlight from Natural Resources Wales |website= coffshore.com |first= Tom |last= Russell |date= 2021-03-03 |access-date= 2021-03-04}}

In January 2022, construction work on converter stations started. In March 2022, the company announced that it had reached financial close,{{cite web |title=Greenlink Interconnector reaches financial close |url=https://www.greenlink.ie/post/greenlink-interconnector-reaches-financial-close |website=Greenlink Interconnector – Press releases |publisher=Greenlink |access-date=23 May 2022 |date=21 March 2022}} and offshore construction commenced in May 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wexford/news/construction-begins-on-converter-station-for-400m-greenlink-interconnector-41302771.html|title=Construction begins on converter station for €400m Greenlink Interconnector|date=2022-02-02|accessdate=2022-03-19}} Construction and trial operation was completed in August 2024,{{cite web |date=2024-08-23 |title=Sumitomo completes Greenlink cable system |url=https://renews.biz/95256/sumitomo-completes-greenlink-cable-system/ |accessdate=2024-08-24}} with testing of the link commencing in December 2024 and operationalizing on 29 January 2025.{{Cite web |title=James O'Reilly on LinkedIn: #greenlink #siemensenergy #sumitomoelectric #wsp {{!}} 95 comments |url=https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7291099002710753281/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=www.linkedin.com |language=en}} The link was officially launched in April 2025.{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=George |date=2025-04-16 |title=Ireland-Wales electricity interconnector up and running |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2025/0416/1507996-ireland-wales-electricity-interconnector/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |work=RTÉ |language=en}}

References

External links

[https://www.greenlink.ie/ Company website]
[https://www.greenlink.ie/_files/ugd/fe51dc_473ea84842494010bfb8526c12962dbb.pdf Information brochure: October 2021]
[https://www.greenlink.ie/planning Planning and consultation documents]

Category:Electrical interconnectors to and from the island of Ireland

Category:Electrical interconnectors to and from Great Britain

Category:HVDC transmission lines

Category:Proposed electric power transmission systems

Category:Electric power infrastructure in the Republic of Ireland

Category:Electric power infrastructure in Wales