Total length 63.5 km (39.5 mi) Owner Mutual Energy Number of poles 2 | DC Voltage 250 kV Commissioned 2001 | |
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Country United Kingdom
(Scotland & N. Ireland) From Auchencrosh, South Ayrshire To Ballycronan More, County Antrim Power rating Type of current High-voltage direct current | ||
The HVDC Moyle Interconnector is the 500 MW HVDC link between Auchencrosh, South Ayrshire in Scotland and Ballycronan More, County Antrim in Northern Ireland, which went into service in 2001. It is owned and operated by Mutual Energy. Work is currently being carried out by Nexans (Norway) with the aid of Morrows (N.I) and Romac Civil Engineering (N.I) to replace the two existing cables between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Specifications
The HVDC Moyle has capacity of 500 MW. It consists of two monopolar 250 kV DC cables with a transmission capacity of 250 MW each. The converter stations are completely equipped with light triggered thyristors.
The converter station at Auchencrosh is connected via a 64 kilometres (40 mi) single-circuit 275 kV overhead three-phase AC line, which is installed on delta-type pylon with Coylton substation where the connection with the high voltage grid of Great Britain takes place. As line connection a 63.5-kilometre (39.5 mi) long monopolar cable is used, of which 55 kilometres (34 mi) are implemented as submarine cables.
Mutual Energy is a mutual company which manages energy assets for Northern Ireland's energy consumers.
As of October 2011, the interconnector was out of service, repair efforts were being made, and the cable became operational again with 450 MW in February 2012. However, further faults meant that a major part of the interconnector had to be taken out of service until it could be augmented with additional cables, whose laying Mutual Energy estimates will be completed in 2016 or 2017. Until then, the interconnector's capacity is reduced to 250 MW, half of its design capacity. In February 2017 the cable suffered another fault, halving capacity to 250 MW.
Intraday capacity trading is not available, but is being discussed.