504 MW Link Between Ireland and Great Britain Begins Commercial Operations

As Ireland targets 80% renewable electricity by 2030, Greenlink complements existing links to balance intermittent supply.

 


Image for illustration purposes.

Greenlink Interconnector Goes Live: Powering Ireland-UK Energy Exchange
The £500 million Greenlink Interconnector, a 504MW subsea electricity link between Ireland and Great Britain, has commenced commercial operations. Spanning 200km beneath the Celtic Sea, this high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable connects County Wexford’s Great Island substation to Pembroke in Wales, reinforcing energy security and renewable integration across both markets.

Technical Overview

  • HVDC Technology: Voltage source converters (VSC) at converter stations in Ireland and Wales enable bidirectional power flow, minimising transmission losses.
  • Cabling: Four 200km submarine cables, buried 3 metres deep to avoid fishing activity, paired with 18km of underground land cables.
  • Capacity: Transfers enough electricity to power 380,000 homes annually.

Project Timeline

  • 2021–2023: Construction by Prysmian (cables) and Siemens Energy (converters). Final cable laying concluded in May 2023.
  • Q4 2023: Trial operations confirmed system stability under varied load conditions.
  • March 2024: Full commercial operation approved following regulatory tests.

Strategic Benefits

  • Renewable Optimisation: Facilitates surplus wind energy exports from Ireland (40%+ grid wind share) to Britain during peak generation.
  • Price Stabilisation: Reduces reliance on volatile gas markets by enabling cross-border arbitrage.
  • Grid Resilience: Provides backup capacity during extreme weather or generation shortfalls.

Challenges Overcome

  • Environmental Safeguards: Protected spawning grounds for herring and cod through seasonal work bans.
  • Geotechnical Risks: Advanced ploughing tech mitigated rocky seabed risks off the Welsh coast.

Source: Offshore Energy