ABL has been awarded a contract by INELFE to provide Marine Warranty Survey (MWS) services for the offshore transportation and installation of the Biscay interconnector, a significant project linking France and Spain. INELFE, a joint venture between French and Spanish electricity transmission operators Réseau de Transport d'Électricité and Red Eléctrica de España, is responsible for this initiative aimed at enhancing the power exchange capacity between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe.
The Biscay interconnector, a Project of Common Interest (PCI) co-financed by the European Union, will connect the Gatika substation near Bilbao, Spain, to the Cubnezais substation in the French region of Aquitaine. The project involves installing nearly 400 km of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnector cables, predominantly subsea, with a transmission capacity of 2 x 1000MW.
Hugues Delanoue, Managing Director of ABL in France, emphasized the importance of such projects, stating, “Interconnectors play an increasingly crucial role in our modern energy systems. They enhance our energy security, improve cost and energy efficiency, and facilitate greater renewable energy integration into electrical systems. Our track record covers experience supporting the construction of some of the world's most significant interconnector projects in Europe, Americas, Middle East, and Asia Pacific. In short, we have the experience and the technical expertise to support this challenging project.”
ABL's responsibilities include reviewing technical documents related to warranted operations, conducting suitability surveys of the proposed fleet, including dynamic positioning (DP) trials, and providing on-site attendance during offshore operations. The project will be managed by ABL's operations in Paris and supported by MWS teams in both France and Spain.
This contract underscores ABL's capability and experience in managing complex marine projects, contributing to the enhancement of Europe's energy infrastructure.
