AQUIND Interconnector

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
AQUIND Interconnector[1]
Location
CountryFrance, United Kingdom
General directionnorth-south
FromFrance
Passes throughEnglish Channel
ToEngland
Technical information
Typesubmarine cable
Type of currentHVDC
Power rating2000 MW
DC voltage320kV

The AQUIND Interconnector is a proposed HVDC submarine power cable proposed to link France and England.[1][2][3] It has faced local opposition and attracted controversy due to its environmental impact and links between the company's backers and the Conservative Party.[4][5]

Route[]

The cable would run between the Lovedean substation in Hampshire in England to the Barnabos substation in the Normandy region of France.[1][2] Landfall is proposed at Eastney in Portsmouth (UK), and Le Havre (France). The route is 242 km (150 miles) long, with 187 km (116 miles) under the sea, 25 km (16 miles) on land in the UK and 30 km (19 miles) on land in France.[1]

Specification[]

The HVDC link would consist of four main cables, together with two much thinner fibre optic cables for operational control and communications.[1] HVDC involves lower transmission losses than the conventional alternating current (AC) technology used in most existing electricity networks. Land cables would be laid mainly under existing roads to minimize the environmental impact of the development.

The link would be built as two separate 1,000 MW circuits, each with their own control and protection systems and auxiliary power supplies.[2] The DC circuits would run at 320 kV, and operate as symmetrical monopoles.[1] The project is expected to cost £1.1 billion.[1]

History[]

When the project was announced in June 2016, the company said that the project would come online in 2021.[6]

In July 2019, Portsmouth Council formally objected to the plans, on the grounds that it would cause unacceptable disruption in a built-up area.[7] Between February and April 2019, the company undertook a statutory consultation exercise.[8] In November 2019, Aquind submitted a formal planning application for the link in the UK.[9]

In June 2020, Aquind submitted to Ofgem and the Commission de Régulation de l'Energie (CRE) a request for partial exemption from Articles 19(2) and 19(3) of Regulation (EU) 2019/943 concerning Use of Revenues obligations, for a period of 25 years from the start of commercial operations. In December 2020, Ofgem and CRE published a joint consultation document; this consultation was intended to close on 29 January 2021. In January 2021, the CRE and Ofgem announced that they had discontinued a public consultation for the AQUIND Interconnector, as this exemption request process is only available to interconnector projects developed between EU member states, the UK ceased to be a member state and the Brexit transition period had ended.[10]

In October 2020, there was a protest against the project in Portsmouth.[11]

In November 2020, Aquind won an appeal in the General Court of the European Union against the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators’ (“ACER”) decision to reject an application for exemption pursuant to Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 714/2009.[12]

On 26 January 2021, the French authorities in Normandy refused to give the project the green light.[13]

In March 2021, the examination by Portsmouth City Council closed.[14]

In May 2021, there was another protest in Portsmouth. Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt called the proposals “sinister”. Labour MP Stephen Morgan also voiced his opposition.[15] The following month, Mordaunt handed in a petition against the project. Another protest was planned for July 2021.[16]

A final decision by the British government on whether to permit construction has been postponed several times. On 21 October 2021, the business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng set a new deadline of 21 January 2022 for deciding on the planning application.[17] [18]

After the decision in January 2021 by the French regional government in Normandy to refuse permission,[13] the company stated that this "does not prevent AQUIND from securing the relevant French planning consents required to construct and operate AQUIND Interconnector."[19]

In October 2021, after growing criticism, the company vowed to "continue the development of the AQUIND Interconnector project."[20]

Controversy[]

Campaigners and local MPs have urged the cancellation of the project.[21][22] The Portsmouth MP Stephen Morgan claims that the cable and its associated data connections pose a risk to UK national security.[23] The Guardian newspaper reported that the promoters of the project, Viktor Fedotov and Alexander Temerko, are both substantial donors to the Conservative party and MPs, and that "Three Conservative ministers have already had to recuse themselves from the decision-making process over the Aquind undersea cable because of their links to the company." Almost 10% of MPs have received donations from companies linked to Fedotov.[24] The minister and peer Martin Callanan was a former director of Aquind and another peer, James Wharton is a consultant to the company.[25]

In October 2021, AQUIND vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and stated that it would "not stand silently and accept slander based on xenophobia and the principles of guilt by association." The company stated that it was considering taking legal action against the media involved.[20]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "AQUIND Interconnector". 4Coffshore. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "AQUIND Interconnector". Aquind. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  3. ^ TYNDP 2020 Project Collection, tyndp2020-project-platform.azurewebsites.net
  4. ^ George Greenwood; Emmanuele Midolo (25 Nov 2021). "Anne-Marie Trevelyan 'risked misleading parliament by omission' over energy project lobbying" (Newspaper). The Times. Retrieved 29 November 2021. a controversial energy project
  5. ^ Harry Davies; Rowena Mason; Jillian Ambrose; Andrew Roth (4 Oct 2021). "Russian tycoon's link to alleged corruption in leaked files raises questions for Tory ministers". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 November 2021. Aquind’s project has already been mired in controversy
  6. ^ Kelly, Jane-Frances (13 June 2016). "UK to double French energy supplies with new cable". BBC. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Council deals interconnector firm blow after opposing plans for cables from France to Portsmouth". portsmouth.co.uk. The News. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  8. ^ "AQUIND launches statutory consultation on proposals for AQUIND Interconnector". Aquind Consultation. Aquind. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  9. ^ "Cross-Channel £1.1bn electricity link plan submitted by Aquind". BBC News - Hampshire. BBC. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  10. ^ Russell, Tom (28 January 2021). "CRE and Ofgem discontinue public consultation for Aquind". 4C Offshore, News. 4C. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Portsmouth protest over Aquind Cross-Channel electricity link plan". BBC News. BBC. 10 October 2020.
  12. ^ "JUDGMENT OF THE GENERAL COURT (Second Chamber) 18 November 2020". Curia. InfoCuria Case-law. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  13. ^ a b "French authorities reject UK-France cross-Channel cable work". BBC. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Aquind interconnector examination closes". Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth City Council. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  15. ^ Deeks, Steve (23 May 2021). "Protesters voice opposition to controversial Aquind interconnector plans with symbolic line of defiance stretching a mile in Milton". Portsmouth News. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  16. ^ Fishwick, Ben (14 June 2021). "Portsmouth MP delivers petition signed by 'thousands' against Aquind ahead of protest in Eastney". Portsmouth News. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  17. ^ "tatement made by Kwasi Kwarteng Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy". BEIS. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  18. ^ "Aquind cross-Channel cable decision postponed". BBC News. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  19. ^ "AQUIND Interconnector is set to benefit from new regulatory frameworks established by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement for implementing infrastructure necessary to achieve Net Zero targets". Aquind Company News. AQUIND. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  20. ^ a b "AQUIND Refutes Recent Allegations in the Media". AQUIND Company News. AQUIND. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  21. ^ "Aquind: Portsmouth MPs and grassroots campaigners urge business secretary to refuse interconnector". The Portsmouth News. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  22. ^ "Portsmouth protesters march against Aquind Cross-Channel cable". BBC News. 4 July 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  23. ^ "Aquind Cross-Channel cable a security risk, says MP". BBC News. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  24. ^ Jessica Elgot (10 October 2021). "Kwasi Kwarteng accused of misleading claims over power cable project". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  25. ^ Ambrose, Jillian; Davies, Harry (10 March 2021). "Tory donor takes control of firm seeking UK approval to build cross-Channel cable". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 December 2021.

External links[]

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