The Nemo Link electricity interconnector has entered commercial operation as scheduled on 31st January 2019. The project links the electricity power grids of Belgium and the UK allowing electricity to be traded between the two countries.

Rockboro supplied engineering, interface and project management services to the cable supply and installation contractor J-Power Systems (a subsidiary of Sumitomo Electric Industries).

Rockboro was responsible for managing the technical and engineering interfaces between the cable contractor and the converter station contractor (Siemens), as well as the technical and engineering interfaces between the UK & Belgian project teams, and the cable manufacturer in Japan. Furthermore, Rockboro authored detailed technical reports on specific aspects of the project, as well as key system handover documents.

Speaking from Brugge in Belgium, Rockboro Director Shane Moloney said, “We are delighted to have played a role in the design and delivery of this key piece of European electricity grid infrastructure which has commenced commercial operation as planned today. This is the first electricity interconnector linking the UK and Belgium and the first European project for J-Power Systems. Projects like this will help in the fight against climate change by allowing electricity generated from renewable sources to be delivered where it’s needed when it’s needed.”

This project pushed the technological envelope with the use of the world’s first HVDC XLPE insulated cable operating at DC 400 kilovolts. With a transmission capacity of 1,000 Megawatts, the cable system consists of a 130-kilometre subsea cable route and an 11.5-kilometre land cable route. The overall value of the NEMO Link project was approximately €600 million.