The Greenlink Interconnector, a subsea and underground electricity interconnector cable linking the UK and Irish electricity grids, has exchanged electricity for the first time following three years of construction.
The cable, which has a nominal capacity of 500MW, 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. Siemens Energy designed and built the two substations.
The connecting subsea HVDC cable is approximately 190km (118 miles) long and was designed and constructed by Sumitomo Electric.
Further tests on the interconnector are pending, with the project expected to go into commission in early 2025.
Greenlink is being developed by Greenlink Interconnector Limited, which is owned by Partners Group. Europe's first privately funded interconnector, the project reached a financial close in March 2022.
It aims to enhance energy security in both countries and support the integration of low-carbon energy.
Ireland is struggling to meet the power demand of its massive data center sector. In 2023, data centers accounted for more than 21 percent of total metered electricity consumption, up from five percent back in 2015.
Capital Dublin is currently subject to a moratorium on new data centers. State-owned grid operator EirGrid introduced the moratorium in 2022, and it is expected to last until 2028, which has led to concerns that it could threaten the county’s status as a data center hub.
Ireland is currently investing heavily in its renewable energy sector. Under its Climate Action Plant, Ireland has committed to generating 80 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2030. However, without significant investments in grid and transmission infrastructure, the country risks not meeting that target.
EirGrid has estimated that at least €3 billion ($3.1bn) of investment is needed to modernize the grid and facilitate new power generation. However, grid issues continue to hamper the energy efficiency of Ireland's renewable energy projects. A recent monthly report from Wind Energy Ireland revealed that 14 percent of electricity produced from wind power this year was lost due to issues with its transmission network.
The construction of interconnectors will permit Ireland to export wind energy, mitigating wastage due to grid constraints. The Irish Government currently plans four more interconnectors, similar to Greenlink, with France, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands.