NEWS
NKT Cables markets the world’s most powerful underground DC cable system: 640 KV
Prysmian to develop IFA2, the new France-UK electricity interconnector
Prysmian Group, world leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry, has secured a contract worth around €350 million with IFA2 SAS, a joint venture between National Grid IFA2 Ltd – part of National Grid UK – and RTE of France.
The contract is for the turnkey design, manufacture and installation of a submarine and land power cable link to connect Tourbe in France to Chilling in Hampshire, UK.
A new world-record 640 kV extruded DC (Direct Current) cable system has been successfully tested and qualified by NKT Cables. The commercialisation of the first 640 kV extruded DC underground system with advanced material technology will increase the maximum power transmission of cable systems by 20% and allow better integration of distant renewable energy sources into the global energy systems. The build-up of integrated energy systems is strongly driven by the demand for increased renewable energy. The development of cutting-edge and more cost- efficient interconnector systems will enable transmission of power between distant power grids and from remote solar, hydro-power or wind installations over long distances with a minimum energy loss. A single pair of 640 kV DC cables can transmit enough green energy to supply three million households. Michael Lyng, President and CEO of NKT Cables, told UKPN: "The development of interconnector grids globally represents some of the biggest infrastructure projects of our time, and we are proud to pioneer the associated technology. The interconnector market is expected to grow significantly and with this 640 kV cable system we are underlining our leading position within this promising market." The new interconnector system will reach a transmission capacity of more than 3 GW which is 20% higher than the existing top solution based on 525 kV technology. The new system is technically and commercially qualified according to the international recommendation Cigré TB 496 and consists of high-voltage cables, oil- free composite terminations based on bushing technology and cable joints for efficient installations.
The cables are based on the same design and utilise the same DC cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation material as the company’s 525 kV cable system, a testimony to the robust capacity of this system which has been offered to the market since 2014. The accessories for the 640 kV cable system are the same as for the 525 kV system. The insulation material is developed jointly with Borealis, a leading provider of solutions for the cable and wire industry. After closing of the ABB HV Cables acquisition on 1 March 2017, NKT Cables initiated the process to begin manufacture high-voltage cables based on DC technology at its factory.
“This is a prestigious project for Prysmian, and we are delighted to have been selected by two of our most important customers, National Grid and RTE, highlighting our worldwide market and technological leadership in subma- rine cable transmission systems”, said Massimo Battaini of SVP Energy Projects.
The High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnection will operate at ± 320 kV DC and will allow up to 1000 MW of power to be transferred between the countries.
The HVDC cable system com- prises approximately 25 km route length in France, running from Tourbe converter station in Northern France to the landing point close to Caen.
The subsea route is just over 200 km and will land at the south coast of the UK at Solent Airport near Fareham, where the UK converter station is to be located. In addition to the HVDC cable link, the contract includes a High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) link.
Penguin powers UK grid with wave energy thanks to key installation on the west coast of Orkney
Wello’s Penguin wave energy converter (WEC) has successfully generated electricity into the national grid off the west coast of Orkney. The Penguin was installed at the European Marine Energy Centre’s (EMEC’s) grid-connected wave test site at Billia Croo at the beginning of March by Orkney-based Green Marine. This is the first of three WEC’s due to be installed at EMEC over the next three years as part of the CEFOW (Clean Energy from Ocean Waves) project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and inno- vation programme.
Led by Fortum, the generation of power is a major milestone within the CEFOW project which aims to ready the Penguin technology for commercialisation by developing the first grid-connected wave energy array in the UK, focusing on lowering the levelised cost of energy and developing an efficient supply chain to support larger wave power projects in the future. Mikko Muoniovaara, senior project manager at Fortum, said: “This is a very exciting period in the project for us, and the Wello office in Orkney has been buzzing with people eager to watch the screens show- ing the live generation feeds. This last month has proven the viability of the Penguin concept, as not only can the tech- nology survive in the harsh waves around Orkney, but it can generate power from them. For Fortum, this is very promising progress.”
Neil Kermode, EMEC managing director, adds: “Not only has Wello’s Penguin survived heavy swell and stormy conditions since being deployed, it is now generating power into the local grid.
MARCH ‐ APRIL 2017 UK POWER NEWS 11
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