Zurich, Switzerland, June 15 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all, today announced it won an order from Electricity Interconnection France-Spain (Inelfe), the joint venture bringing together operators of the Spanish (Red Eléctrica) and French (RTE) electricity transmission networks, in charge of the construction and commissioning of all cross-border connections between both countries, to supply four high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter stations to interconnect France and Spain via a subsea cable across the Biscay Gulf.
The Biscay Gulf interconnection, labeled as project of common interest (PCI) at the European level, will consist of two HVDC links, with a converter station at each end of both systems. Combined, the links will efficiently supply a total of 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity at 400 kilovolts (kV) over 400 kilometers (km). Providing the equivalent of the power consumption of more than two million households¹, the links will improve the safety, stability, and quality of the electricity supply between the two countries. It will advance the integration of emission-free electricity and create a more efficient system to generate savings that benefit consumers and the rest of Europe.² Most of the link will be underwater, but a short section of the link cable route will return to land to avoid the deep Capbreton Canyon.