The direct current electricity exchange project between France and Ireland, the Celtic Interconnector, creates a 575 km interconnection between the Cork region and La Martyre (Finistere), via two submarine cables 500 km long, buried or encased in rock, depending on the nature of the rock. Subsoil The transmission capacity remains at 700MW, which is equivalent to supplying 450,000 homes in both directions to meet the needs of Ireland, France and Europe.

The initial budget was €1 billion, of which €530 million was financed by the European Union. “The project was estimated four years ago. Apart from natural inflation, the current crisis is also reflected in the increase in the cost of raw materials. We must purify within a month. The increased overall cost will inform the two regulators, who will validate the investment and the start of construction,” Eric Thébault suggests. The Celtic Interconnector project at RTE.

We are finalizing tenders with suppliers for purchase of cables and converter stations. We hope to be able to sign the contracts by the end of November,” describes the project director. “With the recent announcement of the public utility, we have received the last of the four major administrative approvals in France. In Ireland, Airgrid has also acquired them, and England has granted us a marine license to cross British waters,” he adds.

A four-year operation is planned. Their launch is scheduled for the summer of 2023, with earthworks prior to the installation of the La Martière converter station. Preparatory work for the installation of submarine cables is scheduled for the summer of 2024, and the cables will be installed in 2025-2026.

About fifty interconnections allow the transfer of electricity between France and neighboring countries. Among the projects in progress, “a 1,200 MW connection to Italy via the Freges tunnel before winter, and another connection of 2,000 MW with Spain in 2027”, explains Ludivine Mellier, director of the interconnection program at RTE.

“With the current energy tensions, this is confirmed in terms of sovereignty. The interest of the Celtic interconnector is above all to allow France, Ireland or even another European country to favor the most available and cheapest means of production at a given moment”, explains Ludivine Mellier.

The answer is no. “We mix electrons from different sources without knowing whether they come from the wind or from a nuclear power plant,” she says.