Channel Tunnel to link the UK and French power grids
New infrastructure plans to link the British and French electricity grids was announced by the Government yesterday.
The Eleclink project will use the Channel Tunnel – a 50.5-kilometre rail tunnel linking the UK and France – to send up to 50% more electricity between the two nations.
The project, which is a joint venture between Groupe Eurotunnel and investment fund manager STAR Capital Partners, will build a power interconnector to provide a transmission link with a capacity of 1GW of flow.
It has just received the latest round of necessary approvals from energy regulators of France and the UK and Eurotunnel expects to start construction later this year.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said: “Investing in our infrastructure is a vital part of our plan to repair and rebalance the British economy.
“The success of Eurotunnel and their plans for expansion and for the Eleclink are show case examples of what can be achieved.”
