Hitachi ABB Power Grids helps connect Britain and France
Hitachi ABB Power Grids is contributing to National Grid’s interconnector, IFA2, the second direct current electrical interconnector between Britain and France.
Image source: Hitachi ABB
UK, Portsmouth: Hitachi ABB Power Grids is contributing to National Grid’s latest interconnector, IFA2, the second direct current electrical interconnector between Britain and France.
As the global technology leader, Hitachi ABB Power Grids is delivering its pioneering high-voltage direct current HVDC Light® system for the project, which is now entering into the final commissioning phase.
Spanning 239 km (149 mi) along the seabed, the IFA2 HVDC interconnector enables Britain and France to share surplus clean electricity. The 1,000 MW electrical interconnector is now entering its energisation test stage, allowing electricity to be transmitted via the cable before going live. This follows the construction period which commenced in 2017.
Niklas Persson, Managing Director of the Grid Integration business in Hitachi ABB Power Grids, said, “In spite of these unprecedented times, we are delighted to reach this key milestone on the IFA2 interconnector project on time, which is accelerating Britain and France towards a carbon-neutral future.” “We look forward to continuing the meticulous testing of the complete system in the coming weeks before fully commissioning the interconnector later this year,” he added.
Hitachi ABB Power Grids’ HVDC Light® technology also incorporates advanced features such as regulating grid fluctuations and power restoration in the event of an outage. These features provide economic benefits for the network operator and reliable electricity supply to the end users.
Source: Hitachi ABB Power Grids