RTE proposing to invest $36.4 B by 2035 to renovate French network
France: RTE is proposing to invest $36.4 B (33 B euros) by 2035 to renovate the French network and add more international power lines.
France: RTE is proposing to invest $36.4 B (33 B euros) by 2035 to renovate the French network and add more international power lines.
It plans to boost the capacity of its interconnectors to about 30 GW in the next 15 years, starting with the completion of 3 GW of new links under construction with the United Kingdom and Italy, RTE said in a presentation.
The so-called IFA2 link between France and Britain should be commissioned in 2021, while the ElecLink via the Channel Tunnel may still need regulatory approval on safety, RTE’s head of strategy Thomas Veyrenc said.
Following those two projects, the grid operator can prioritize construction of 5 GW of interconnectors with Spain, Germany, and Belgium by 2025. Another 5 GW of new links — including two projects with the United Kingdom and one with Ireland — need further economic studies or European subsidies, RTE said. It didn’t provid any timeframe for a third Franco-British project.
RTE’s investment in new interconnectors may amount to about $2.2 B (2 B euros) by 2035, Veyrenc said. Provided that the French regulator approves RTE’s proposal, the grid would spend $23.2 B (21 B euros) to adapt its network and renovate existing lines, $ 7.7 B (7 B euros) to connect more than 10 GW of planned offshore wind farms and $3.3 B (3 billion euros) to digitalize equipment, Veyrenc said.
Source: T&D World