RTE and EirGrid advance Celtic Interconnector project with 575 km subsea transmission link between France and Ireland

Type: Development · Technology: Transmission · Country: France, Ireland · Capacity: 700 MW · Value: $1.6B · Announced: 2026-03-24

Réseau de Transport d'Électricité (RTE) and EirGrid advanced the Celtic Interconnector project with the first French campaign to lay 98 km of subsea cables near Cléder, Finistère, marking a critical milestone in the 575 km, 700 MW interconnector linking France and Ireland. The €1.6 billion project, supported by a €530 million grant from the European Commission, will enable power exchange equivalent to 450,000 households and enhance grid resilience and renewable energy integration across Europe. The interconnector, recognized as a Project of Common Interest (PCI) by the EU, is scheduled for completion in 2028, with 90% of terrestrial civil works already finished and station conversion nearing completion. The project leverages Nexans' French-manufactured cables and the cable-laying vessel 'La Calypso,' which delivered two fiber-optic-equipped cables to Brest port in March 2026 for offshore installation. Local economic benefits are estimated at €13 million, while the interconnection will be the seventh for France and the first direct link between continental Europe and Ireland.

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