A new high-voltage power line running within three meters of Eurostar and GetLink trains in the Channel Tunnel will become operational this summer.
It will be the third line connecting Europe with the UK.
With a capacity of 1 GW, this line should be able to meet the power requirements of about 750,000 households simultaneously.
The first two lines were buried at sea level, one with a nominal capacity of 2 GW in 1986 and the other with a nominal capacity of 1 GW early last year.
The new line, owned by GetLink (formerly Groupe Eurotunnel), costs €665 million and will be built and operated by ElecLink, which is 100% owned.
Britain uses surplus French nuclear power
Since the installation of power interconnectors, most of the flow has gone from France to the United Kingdom, particularly at night when French nuclear power stations produce a significant surplus.
Nuclear power plants are designed to produce a certain amount of electricity during operation and cannot be easily shut down when demand is low, like oil or gas-powered power plants.
ElecLink said it would allow both countries to use more electricity from solar and wind generators when there is no sun and little wind, and improve supply capacity by selling off surplus as quickly as possible. Sunny and windy days.
The 51km line will connect the UK National Grid’s Selindge substation in Kent with a substation at Les Mandarins, Pas de Calais.
New link for Ireland
Ireland is also seeking a power relationship with France, fearing that its reliance on existing ties with Britain could be increasingly threatened by Brexit. Plans have been announced for a 700MW link, which is expected to cost €1bn, with work due to begin on the 575km cable needed this year and to be completed in 2026.
Half of the money for the link, which will go from Cork to Britain, will come from the European Union, and the rest from Ireland.
Cross-border electricity connectivity has flourished in recent decades in France, which today has 51 connections with its neighbours.
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