Dublin: Work is advancing on the Celtic Interconnector, Europe’s first electricity link between Ireland and France, designed to strengthen energy security and ensure faster recovery in the event of power outages.
The €1.6 billion project will transmit up to 700 megawatts of electricity—enough to power approximately 450,000 homes—through a 575-kilometre subsea cable running from east Cork to northwest Brittany.
Cable installation is currently underway, with the Calypso, a Norwegian specialist marine vessel, laying an 84-kilometre section this summer to take advantage of favourable weather conditions. Prior to this, marine survey teams had charted the seabed to determine the optimal route.
The project is being delivered by EirGrid in partnership with France’s Réseau de Transport d’Électricité, with significant backing from the EU Connecting Europe Facility.
Onshore works are also nearing completion. Trenching and ducting between Carrigtwohill beach and the converter station is 97% complete, while three 200-tonne transformers are due to arrive later this month for installation. In addition, HVAC cables have been installed between the converter station and the Knockraha substation, 10 km away, integrating the system into Ireland’s national grid.
Originally initiated in 2023, the Celtic Interconnector is scheduled to become fully operational by spring 2028.
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