£100 MILLION INTERCONNECTOR CONTRACTS SIGNED

16/12/1999

Northern Ireland Electricity is to bring “more power to you” with the signing today (Thursday December 16th) of contracts worth £100 million for the construction of the electricity interconnector with Scotland.  
 
Alcatel Kabel of Norway will supply the submarine and underground cable system linking Northern Ireland and Scotland. The converter stations, connecting the interconnector to the transmission systems in Northern Ireland and Scotland, will be designed and built by Siemens.  
 
The Interconnector, known as the Moyle Interconnector, will transmit power between the electricity systems in Ireland and Great Britain, is due to be completed by late 2001. It will provide Northern Ireland with an important new source of electricity supply, enhancing both security and competition in the emerging market in Northern Ireland.  
 
Making the announcement, Harry McCracken, Managing Director NIE said: "This is excellent news for electricity customers in Northern Ireland. The Moyle Interconnector will provide access for Northern Ireland customers to the lower generation costs available in Great Britain and even Europe. When completed, the Interconnector will bring real competition in electricity generation into Northern Ireland.”  
 
Interconnection will help the drive for lower electricity prices in Northern Ireland by increasing competition in the generation market.  
 
Harry McCracken again: "The Moyle Interconnector project is a real watershed project for our customers and the economy of Northern Ireland because it will end our isolation from the much larger electricity systems and markets of Great Britain and the European mainland.  
 
"Ofreg and NIE have emphasised on many occasions that additional competition in the generation market is needed to bring lower electricity prices to customers in Northern Ireland.  
 
 
 
 
“The Moyle Interconnector will have a capacity of 500MW, including up to 375MW available for third party access - i.e. to anybody who wants to trade electricity between Northern Ireland and Scotland, or beyond."  
 
The Moyle interconnector will link the Northern Ireland and Scottish electricity grids, through a submarine cable running from Ballycronan More in Islandmagee, Co. Antrim to Auchencrosh in Ayrshire. Construction will begin later this year, and the interconnector is due for completion by the end of 2001.  
 
In conjunction with NIE's plans to enhance North-South interconnection, the Moyle Interconnector will create a strongly interconnected two-island electricity system. This will bring Ireland into line with the rest of Europe where the interconnection of national electricity systems is the norm.  
 
ends  
Issued by Group Communications Department.  
Tel. (01232) 689178.  
 
 
 
 Photo-opportunity:  
 
Representatives of Viridian Group PLC, NIE, Moyle Interconnector Ltd, Alcatel Kabel and Siemens will be taking part in a formal contract signing ceremony at Danesfort House, 120 Malone Road, on Thursday December 18, 11.30pm.  
 
Scale models of the Moyle Interconnector will be available for photography.  
 
 
 
 
Notes for editors:  
 
 
Viridian Group PLC:  
Viridian Group PLC, is Northern Ireland’s largest company by turnover and is listed on both the London and Dublin Stock Exchanges. The Viridian Group also includes business processing outsourcing company Sx3, Financial Services company, Open and Direct, telecommunications company nevada tele.com (a joint venture with Energis PLC), property development company, Zenith, and has interests in power generation.  
 
Moyle Interconnector Ltd.  
Moyle Interconnector Ltd., a member of the Viridian Group has been established to construct the interconnector. The total investment in the project is £150 million, including 35% funding from the European Regional Development Fund.  
 
Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE)  
A member of the Viridian Group PLC, NIE is the electricity transmission and distribution company for Northern Ireland. It has a customer base of 668,000 and manages a network of 55,000 km.  
 
Alcatel Kabel  
Alcatel Kabel of Norway will supply the submarine and underground cable system linking Northern Ireland and Scotland. Alcatel Kabel has many years' experience in manufacturing and installing this type of cable and has been responsible for many of the major submarine cables around the world, in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and New Zealand.  
 
Siemens  
The converter stations, which will connect the cable system to the transmission systems in Northern Ireland and Scotland, will be designed and built by Siemens PLC. Siemens parent company in Germany has been constructing high voltage direct current (HVDC) projects for over 20 years and has supplied similar installations in Europe, North and South America, Africa and Asia.  
 

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