EuroAfrica Strategic alliance

EuroAfrica Interconnector

Strategic alliance agreement with Elia Grid

EuroAfrica Interconnector Project Director George Killas (centre) with Chris Peeters, CEO of Elia Group (right) and Markus Berger, Chief Officer Infrastructure of Elia Group.

The strategic alliance has been inked with Elia Grid International (EGI), a subsidiary of Elia Group – the Belgian–German Transmission System Operator (TSO) – and formalises a close cooperation for the development and implementation of the EuroAsia Interconnector.

The Elia Group is organised around two electricity transmission system operators (TSOs): Elia in Belgium and 50Hertz, one of the four German transmission system operators, which is active in the north and east of Germany.

With more than 2,100 employees and a transmission grid comprising some 18,400 km of high-voltage connections serving 30 million end users, the Elia Group is one of
Europe’s top five System Operators.

In addition to its activities as a transmission system operator in Belgium and Germany, the Elia Group offers a range of consultancy and engineering services to third parties all over the world through its subsidiary Elia Grid International (EGI).
As a wholly owned subsidiary, EGI combines the best of both European electricity transmission system operators and embodies the international ambitions of the Elia Group by offering consultancy and engineering services on the international energy market.

The Elia Group is a driving force behind the development of the European electricity market and the integration of energy generated from renewable sources and operates under the legal entity Elia System Operator, a listed company on the Brussels Euronext Stock Exchange.

The Elia Group is an experienced partner for developing electricity interconnectors and projects at sea and has, amongst others, established a joint venture with its British counterpart for the development, installation and exploitation of the 1,000MW subsea Nemo Link interconnector between the UK and Belgium, which will be operational by 2019.

EuroAfrica Interconnector Project Director George Killas (left) with Didier Wiot, Chief Officer Solutions & Services at Elia Group.

The Nemo link Interconnector


Overview
Nemo Link® is constructing an electrical interconnector between the UK and Belgium known as the Nemo Link® interconnector with the objective to operate it afterwards during 25 years.
The Nemo Link® interconnector will consist of subsea and underground cables connected to a converter station in each country, which will allow electricity to flow in either direction between the two countries. Nemo Link® will build the converter station on an 8 hectare site, formerly occupied by the Richborough Power Station, which now forms part of the Richborough Energy Park proposals. A similar converter station will be built in the industry zone Herdersbrug in Bruges.

What is Nemo Link®?
Nemo Link® is the project to lay high voltage electricity cables under the sea, improving the link between UK and European electricity generation with consumers in the UK and across the continent. It is a joint project between National Grid Interconnector Limited, a subsidiary company of the UK’s National Grid Plc, and the Belgian Elia group. The project will give both countries improved reliability and access to electricity and sustainable generation.

Nemo Link® will consist of subsea and underground cables connected to a converter station and an electricity substation in each country, which will allow electricity to flow in either direction between the two countries. The site for the converter station and electricity substation in the UK is an 8 hectare site, formerly occupied by the Richborough Power Station, which now forms part of the Richborough Energy Park proposals. A similar converter station and substation will be built in the industry zone Herdersbrug in Bruges, Belgium.