IFA-2

The HVDC cable will be 204-kilometre (127 mi) long, operating at +/-320kV, and with a capacity to transmit 1,000 MW of power.[2] It will be the second interconnector between France and Great Britain, after the HVDC Cross-Channel link.

The project is being developed by IFA2 SAS, a joint venture between UK National Grid and RTE of France. [2]

The cable will be connected to the French grid at the Tourbe 400 kV substation. From there, a 300 m high voltage alternating current (HVAC) underground cable would run to the converter station nearby. From the converter station a 24-kilometre (15 mi) long underground HVDC cable would run to landfall point at the east of Merville-Franceville-Plage, near Caen in Normandy.

On the British side the landfall point is located at Monks Hill Beach, at the southern end of Solent Airfield, near Southampton. The converter station would be located to the north east of Solent Airfield. From there a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) long underground HVAC cable would run to the point of connection to the grid at Chilling 400 kV substation, near Warsash, Hampshire.[1]

In 2015, the European Commission identified IFA-2 as one of key energy infrastructure projects.[1]

In 2017, contract for IFA-2 was awarded to the Prysmian Group and ABB. [2]

Normand Pacific in the solent for cable burial works on IFA-2[3]

In October 2019, the project completed the external construction of the UK convertor building. [4] Cable laying works in the eastern Solent took place at the end of 2019.[3]

The project p artners, National Grid and Réseau de Transport d'Electricité (RTE), are planning to complete the construction of IFA2 and start operations in 2020.[2]

• ElecLink, another 1,000 MW UK-France interconnector under construction

• RTE website
• IFA-2 Corporate website
• Non-technical summary (pdf)
• Copy of information boards displayed in 2017 (pdf)