East–West Interconnector

The East–West Interconnector is a high-voltage direct current submarine and subsoil power cable which connects the British and Irish electricity markets. The project has been developed by the Irish national grid operator EirGrid.

Aim

The interconnector is aimed to increase competition and security of supply, and better use the capacity of wind energy.^[1] The additional capacity headroom provided by the interconnection will assist in reducing the Electricity Supply Board's dominant position in the Irish electricity market. By joining the two markets it will allow Irish suppliers to access power in the British market and for Britain based suppliers to enter the Irish market without initially having to commit to large capital expenditure, significantly reducing barriers to entry. Irish renewable generators will benefit from the interconnection as it will increase their available market and may make it more economically attractive to construct more large scale renewable generation.

ESB Power Generation announced in 2007 its intention to withdraw approximately 1,300 MW of capacity by 2010. This would effectively reduce the installed capacity of fully dispatchable plant from 6,437 MW to 5,150 MW. This closure of older inefficient power plants, such as a 461 MW fossil fuel capacity at Poolbeg Generating Station Dublin,^[2] and coupled with the high growth demand forecasts presented, created a major threat to the security of the Irish electricity grid.^[3]

The interconnection will enhance security of supply and grid stability on both countries and create conditions suitable for the development of a new regional market. The European Commission has expressed the view that European electricity markets would benefit from further interconnection investments. The EU Trans-European Energy Networks Project have classified the UK–Irish Interconnector as a priority project.

Upon the completion of the project in 2012, that connects County Dublin with Wales, Ireland has partly been supported with electricity from the Welsh 490 MW Wylfa nuclear power station.^[4][5]

History

Studies for the UK–Irish interconnection date back to the 1970s when the Irish Electricity Supply Board first examined the possibility of linking the UK and Irish electricity grids. Further studies were conducted in the early 1990s and a joint study was recently conducted between Electricity Supply Board and National Grid plc with the support of the European Union.

In 2004 the Commission for Energy Regulation on request of the Irish Government sought proposals from the private sector to construct two 500MW merchant interconnectors between Ireland and Wales. A private project was established by Imera Power who was contracted to develop two 350 MW interconnectors through its affiliate East West Cable One Ltd. in 2006.

In 2006 the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, instructed the Commission for Energy Regulation to commence the development of a regulated interconnector of 500 MW as it was deemed to be critical infrastructure.

Eirgrid commenced work on the East West Interconnector in 2007. It was completed in 2012 and on 20 September 2012 it was inaugurated in Meath by UK secretary for energy and climate change Ed Davey, Irish prime minister Enda Kenny and European Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger.^[6]

The East West Cable One Ltd. also commenced work in 2007 and was granted a regulated third party access and regulatory exemption for 25 years for phase one and 20 years for phase two.

Technical features

The Eirgrid East–West Interconnector has a total length of 261 kilometres (162 mi), of which 186 kilometres (116 mi) is submarine cable and 75 kilometres (47 mi) is subsoil cable. The link connects converter stations at Rush North Beach, County Dublin, Ireland, and Barkby Beach in North Wales. The interconnection uses ±200 kV HVDC Light cables with a capacity of 500 MW. It is the first HVDC Light transmission system project, to use ±200 kV cables. The cables and converter stations were provided by ABB.^[1][7] The project was financed by a €300 million loan from the European Investment Bank, capital investments from commercial banks, EirGrid equity and a €110 million grant from the European Commission.^[8]

East West Cable One Ltd. project

A competing project was undertaken by East West Cable One Ltd (EW1), also known as the East West Interconnector. The EW1 cable with a capacity of 350 MW is to be connected at Arklow substation in County Wicklow and Pentir Substation in North Wales. The second cable known as EW2 was a second phase project with a capacity of 350–500 MW is proposed between Wexford and Pembroke.

Both developments are to be funded by the private sector on commercial basis; their costs would not be recovered by system tariffs for all end users in either UK or Ireland, but rather by the users of the cable, large wholesale energy traders. Corresponding exemption from the third party access rule was granted by the European Commission on 23 November 2009.^[9]

This project is still under development and is being re-engineered by the owners of East West Cable One Ltd. for electricity export to the UK but with a later commissioning date of 2019.

Eirgrid Interconnector Sites

References

See also

• Moyle Interconnector

External links

• East–West Interconnector (EirGrid)
• Imara Power East–West Interconnector
• Way of the cable
• http://www.abb.com/industries/ap/db0003db004333/a60fb5e59414e817c125774a002f365b.aspx
• Elexon/BMRS changes to accommodate flows in stats as INTEW