Geophysical survey to begin at Greenlink Interconnector route

A pre-construction geophysical survey for the Greenlink, a 500 MW subsea and underground electricity interconnector that will link Ireland and Wales, is about to begin.

Greenlink Interconnector

According to Jan De Nul’s notice to mariners, the survey of the Greenlink Interconnector route will be carried out between 26 June and 16 July 2022, depending on weather conditions.

The survey will be conducted by the GEOxyz-owned multi-disciplined offshore survey vessel Geo Ocean V. Running on hybrid propulsion, the vessel is fitted for geophysical and geotechnical survey work.

The Greenlink project is known as the first privately-financed interconnector in Europe supported under the Cap and Floor regulatory regimes in the UK and Ireland and represents a total investment of over €500 million.

It comprises a 190-kilometre subsea and underground high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable system, two converter stations, a tail station at Great Island in Wexford, Ireland, and onshore cable works in Wexford and Pembrokeshire, Wales.

In September 2021, the consortium of Sumitomo Electric and Siemens Energy was contracted to provide the design, engineering, procurement, production, construction, and commissioning of an HVDC subsea/underground electricity interconnector cable, with associated converter stations.

Earlier this year, Jan De Nul won a contract with Sumitomo Electric Industries for the installation of two subsea HVDC cables and one fibre optic cable for the Greenlink Interconnector.

On 21 March, the project reached a financial close, enabling the start of full construction of the electricity interconnector after Partners Group, which owns Greenlink on behalf of its clients, had secured debt financing for the project with a consortium of banks to fund construction.

The interconnector is due for commissioning in 2024.

Related Article

Register for Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference: