Biscay Gulf HVDC Project Lays Foundation Stone
A project of common interest at the European level, the future interconnection will increase electricity exchange capacity between the two countries by nearly 80% to 5,000 MW, the equivalent of the consumption of 5 million households. Faced with the challenges of the ecological transition and Europe's energy sovereignty, its purpose is to develop trade between the two countries, to offer everyone a more affordable and less carbon-intensive electricity supply. By pooling the respective means of production, it strengthens the security of supply of the two countries.
A schedule in line with expectations for commissioning in 2028
This symbolic ceremony marks a major step in the realization of the work undertaken since 2023. The Cubnezais converter station, currently under construction in Gironde, and the Gatika converter station, currently under construction in Spain, will constitute the two ends of the interconnection. Connected by a double electrical link of about 400 km, including 300 km underwater, these stations will interconnect the French and Spanish electricity grids, transforming direct current into alternating current.
In France, the construction of this infrastructure generates local benefits for our territories and companies: €600 million in France, including €175 million located in the South-West (i.e. nearly 30%). The converter station buildings are under construction and will be completed in 2025. The electrical equipment will be installed in a second phase, by mid-2027 to be able to start the test phase. On the route, more than 50% of the trench work required for the installation of the two electrical links of this interconnection has now been completed, as have the excavations at the level of the landfalls (connection area between the maritime and land parts of the electrical interconnection) in Le Porge (Gironde), Seignosse (Landes) and Capbreton (Landes).
In Spain, after spending the last few months on preparatory work for the land and earthworks section of the new converter station, Red Eléctrica is continuing construction in the Basque Country (Spanish Basque Country). Civil works are underway for two buildings that will be completely covered with vegetation for better landscape integration and limited visual impact. After the construction of the buildings, parallel work will take place in 2026 and 2027 at the converter stations in Gatika and Cubnezais. Near the coast, in Lemoniz, landfall work is also underway, in order to prepare for the installation of the submarine cable that will begin in about a year, until 2027.
The work is being carried out by the company Inelfe, owned 50% by Red Eléctrica and 50% by RTE, and with the support of specialised European service providers, including NKT HV Cables and Prysmian Powerlink, for the installation of the submarine cables, the FASSET consortium for the installation of the underground cables, and the HITACHI ENERGY/VINCI consortium, for the converter stations.
