# ElecLink

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Electrical interconnector between the UK and France

ElecLink Map of ElecLink Location Country United Kingdom, France Coordinates 51°05′54″N 1°08′41″E / 51.0984°N 1.1447°E / 51.0984; 1.1447 50°55′13″N 1°46′50″E / 50.9202°N 1.7806°E / 50.9202; 1.7806 General direction North–South From Folkestone, United Kingdom Passes through English Channel To Peuplingues, France Ownership information Owner Getlink Construction information Manufacturer of conductor/cable Prysmian[1] Manufacturer of substations Siemens Contractors Balfour Beatty Construction started 2017 Construction cost £490 million[2] Commissioned 25 May 2022 Technical information Type submarine cable Type of current HVDC Total length 51 km (32 mi) Power rating 1,000 MW DC voltage ±320 kV No. of poles 2 No. of circuits 1 Website www.eleclink.co.uk

**ElecLink** is a 1,000 MW [high-voltage direct current](/source/High-voltage_direct_current) (HVDC) electrical [interconnector](/source/Interconnector) between the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom) and [France](/source/France), passing through the [Channel Tunnel](/source/Channel_Tunnel). ElecLink commenced operations on 25 May 2022.

## Route

The 51-kilometre (32-mile) DC cable runs via the Channel Tunnel between [HVDC converter stations](/source/HVDC_converter_station) at [Peuplingues](/source/Peuplingues) in France and [Folkestone](/source/Folkestone) in the UK, with an additional 14.5 km (9.0 mi) of underground AC cable on the English side to Sellindge substation, and 3.5 km (2.2 mi) on the French side to Les Mandarins substation,[3] to link the converter stations to the existing [transmission networks](/source/Electric_power_transmission).[4]

## Ownership

It is owned by a subsidiary of [Getlink](/source/Getlink), which owns the tunnel itself.

ElecLink is the first UK interconnector to be entirely funded by private finance, without being underwritten by electricity consumers.[5]

## Construction

The two converter stations were constructed by [Siemens](/source/Siemens) and the Siemens FIT (Field Installation Team). The HVDC cables and the cable between the Folkstone converter station and the [National Grid](/source/National_Grid_(Great_Britain)) substation at [Sellindge](/source/Sellindge) were constructed by [Prysmian](/source/Prysmian) and installed by [Balfour Beatty](/source/Balfour_Beatty), while [RTE](/source/R%C3%A9seau_de_Transport_d'%C3%89lectricit%C3%A9) constructed the cable between the [Peuplingues](/source/Peuplingues) converter station and the *Les Mandarins* substation.[3][1]

A specialized, 51-metre-long (167 ft), work train was manufactured by Clayton Equipment for the project to allow the HVDC cable to be installed[6][5] in 2021 and tested.[7] The train contained drilling modules, *monorail* modules, jointing platforms and hauling equipment, as well as staff accommodations and was entirely battery-powered.

In the entire length of the tunnel, a hexagonal monorail track was installed, as well as two, 7-metre-high (23 ft) high, 4-track helices (one on each end), that was straddled by a cable carrier which could carry sections of 2.5 km (1.6 mi) of HVDC cable into the tunnel. The actual cable pull happened between February and summer 2021, with cable sections then spliced in [cleanrooms](/source/Cleanroom) inside the tunnel.[3][8] The monorail was later removed.

## Project history

Work commenced on the project in 2017.[2]

The foundation stone of the Folkestone converter station was laid in February 2017, by [Jesse Norman](/source/Jesse_Norman) MP, Minister for Industry and Energy.[9]

In 2019, the Anglo-French Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission (IGC), which oversees the safety of the Channel Tunnel, suspended part of the project's consent due to concerns about safety of the HVDC cables within the tunnels.[10] This decision prevented the cables from being installed. The IGC was expected to make a final decision on whether the cables can be installed in April 2020, based on a recommendation from the [Channel Tunnel Safety Authority](/source/Channel_Tunnel_Safety_Authority),[11] however this approval was again delayed due to further safety concerns and the [COVID-19 pandemic](/source/COVID-19_pandemic).[12]

In December 2020, the IGC announced its approval of the project, with the cable expected to be installed by summer 2021 and commercial operation expected to start in mid-2022.[12]

In February 2022, the IGC and national safety authorities announced their approval of ElecLink, which allowed final testing of the interconnector to commence, with entry into service still planned for mid-2022.[13]

ElecLink commenced operations on 25 May 2022.

## See also

- [the United Kingdom portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:The_United_Kingdom)
- [France portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:France)
- [Energy portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Energy)

- [List of high-voltage transmission links in the United Kingdom](/source/List_of_high-voltage_transmission_links_in_the_United_Kingdom)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-iet_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-iet_1-1) Sharpe, Lorna (24 February 2017). ["ElecLink awards Channel Tunnel interconnector construction contract"](https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2017/02/eleclink-awards-channel-tunnel-interconnector-construction-contract/). *[E&T](/source/Engineering_%26_Technology)*. Retrieved 22 February 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-energylive_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-energylive_2-1) Shrestha, Priyanka (24 February 2017). ["Work begins on £490m UK-France power link"](https://www.energylivenews.com/2017/02/24/work-begins-on-490m-uk-france-power-link/). *Energy Live News*. Retrieved 22 February 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ElecLinkProject2019_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ElecLinkProject2019_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ElecLinkProject2019_3-2) ["The ElecLink Project"](https://www.eleclink.co.uk/information/588729%20attach%20ENG%20-%20Memo%20ELECLINK%20nov2019.pdf) ([PDF](/source/PDF)). Eleclink.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["What we do"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200222134326/http://www.eleclink.co.uk/what-we-do.php). *ElecLink*. Archived from [the original](http://www.eleclink.co.uk/what-we-do.php) on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-eleclinkstatus_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-eleclinkstatus_5-1) ["The ElecLink Project"](http://www.eleclink.co.uk/information/EN_Project%20Status.pdf) (PDF). *ElecLink*. November 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Channel Tunnel interconnector installation train completed"](https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction-and-rolling-stock/channel-tunnel-interconnector-installation-train-completed/46042.article). *[Railway Gazette](/source/Railway_Gazette)*. 4 March 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["1 GW ElecLink is ready for full operations now"](https://www.4coffshore.com/news/1-gw-eleclink-is-ready-for-full-operations-now-nid24273.html). *4c Offshore*. 5 October 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211008085254/https://www.4coffshore.com/news/1-gw-eleclink-is-ready-for-full-operations-now-nid24273.html) from the original on 8 October 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-RailInfrastructure38_8-0)** ["Putting power through the tunnel"](https://claytonequipment.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/RI-No133-Clayton-Eleclink.pdf) (PDF). *Rail Infrastructure*. No. 38. NPT Publishing. Retrieved 12 March 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-pressrelease17_9-0)** ["Eurotunnel Press Release 23 Feb 2017"](http://www.eleclink.co.uk/information/170223-eleclink-foundations-laid.pdf) (PDF). *eleclink*. Retrieved 7 April 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ft_10-0)** Spero, Josh (24 March 2019). ["'Eyebrows raised' over Eurotunnel cable finance disclosure"](https://www.ft.com/content/1eb784b4-4cb9-11e9-bbc9-6917dce3dc62). *Financial Times*.(subscription required)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-igc_11-0)** ["IGC Statement on ElecLink project"](http://www.channeltunneligc.co.uk/Eleclink-Interconnector,103.html). *Channel Tunnel IGC*. 9 January 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-igcapproval_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-igcapproval_12-1) ["UK-France Eleclink power interconnector approved"](https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news/2170896-ukfrance-eleclink-power-interconnector-approved). *Argus Media*. 21 December 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["ElecLink: The Intergovernmental Commission and the national safety authorities give the go-ahead"](https://press.getlinkgroup.com/news/eleclink-the-intergovernmental-commission-and-the-national-safety-authorities-give-the-go-ahead-b8e4-0791e.html). *Getlink Group*. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.

## External links

- [ElecLink](http://www.eleclink.co.uk/)

- [Project status update, Dec 2019 (pdf)](http://www.eleclink.co.uk/information/EN_Project%20Status.pdf)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [ElecLink](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ElecLink) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ElecLink?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.