4 HDPE CONDUITS SUCCESFULLY INSTALLED AT GREENLINK LANDFALLS WALES AND IRELAND BY VLCV BV

In 2021 Jan De Nul Group secured the Greenlink interconnector cable installation contract for Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. (Sumitomo Electric). Jan De Nul is responsible for the end-to-end subsea cable laying and cable protection works and the project involves the installation of a cable package consisting of two high-voltage cables and a fiber optic cable along a sea route of 160km between County Wexford in Ireland and Pembrokeshire in Wales Greenlink, one of Europe’s most important energy infrastructure projects,is a 500MW subsea and underground electricity interconnector linking the power markets in Ireland and Great Britain and due for commissioning in 2024.  

In addition to the cable installation and protection at sea, the project also includes infrastructure works on both land sides. The cables will come ashore (landfalls) through underground horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and will be connected to the electricity grids. 

 Specifically for these landfalls Jan De Nul awarded VLCV BV the HDD drilling scope, the HDPE installation (conduits), and the associated Marine scope. The HDPE installation consist of two HDPE conduits of 1250 metres at the Wales landfall site (Freshwater West ) and two HDPE conduits of 945 metres at the Irish landfall site (Baginbun Beach).

 VLCV is proud to announce that the installation of the first two HDPE conduits in Freshwater West (Wales) were completed in February 2023, and subsequently the remaining two HDPE conduits installation in Baginbun Beach (Ireland) were installed in April 2023.  The four HDPE conduits were installed successfully for Jan De Nul and are ready for cable installation.

 VLCV BV is specialized in trenchless landfall projects and Marine-to-Marine Horizontal Directional Drill solutions and delighted to have contributed to the energy transition of the UK and Ireland. 

 By using the HDD method for installation of the conduits, and subsequent ower cables, the environmental impact on the Sites of Special Scientific Interest and at sea at Freshwater West are minimized.

 The installation of the cables at sea is scheduled for 2023 and 2024. Jan De Nul will mobilize its cable installation vessel, the Connector, for this purpose.

About the Greenlink project:

Greenlink is a subsea and underground electricity interconnector cable (with associated converter stations) linking the existing electricity grids in Ireland and Great Britain (GB) and has a nominal capacity of 500MW. Greenlink will provide a new grid connection between EirGrid’s Great Island substation in County Wexford (Ireland) and National Grid’s Pembroke substation in Pembrokeshire (Wales).  The power will be able to flow in either direction, depending on supply and demand in each country.

 Greenlink has key strategic importance, as it will provide significant additional interconnection between Ireland and Great Britain, with onward connections to continental Europe. The construction and development of Greenlink will deliver increased energy security, regional investment and value for money to consumers, and will enable the further integration of low carbon renewable energy sources.

 In September 2021 Greenlink announced that a consortium comprising Siemens Energy AG (Siemens Energy) and Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd (Sumitomo Electric) had been awarded the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for Greenlink.