HVDC cross-channel
The HVDC Cross-Channel , English HVDC Cross-Channel and French Interconnexion France Angleterre , is as of 2012 the only high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission between Great Britain and France . The 73 km long line serves to exchange electrical energy and is designed as a submarine cable through the English Channel .
The current converter stations are located on the French side in Bonningues-lès-Calais and in Sellindge in Great Britain. The energy can be transmitted in either direction. In 2005, 97.5% of electrical energy was transported from France to England, while 2.5% of electrical energy was supplied from England to France, primarily in the summer months. The link has an average availability of 98%.
history
 
| ||
Endpoints of the HVDC cross-channel through the English Channel |
The first HVDC cross-channel connection went into operation in 1961 between Lydd in England and Echinghen near Boulogne-sur-Mer in France. The converter stations were equipped with mercury vapor rectifiers , the system was designed as bipolar HVDC with an operating voltage of ± 100 kV and designed for a maximum transmission capacity of 160 MW. The 64 km long submarine cable was laid directly at the bottom of the lake, which led to cable failures as a result of damage from fishing and ship operations in the canal.
The original HVDC was taken out of service in 1984 and was replaced in 1986 by a system with a capacity of 2,000 MW and a significantly higher output between Bonningues-lès-Calais in France and Sellindge in England with a pipeline length of 73 km. The line, which is also designed as a bipolar HVDC transmission line, is operated with an operating voltage of ± 270 kV, whereby both poles (pole 1 with +270 kV, pole 2 with −270 kV) can be operated independently of one another with 1,000 MW each. The converters consist of thyristors which were modernized in 2011/2012.
Web links
- http://www.transmission.bpa.gov/cigresc14/Compendium/Cross2%20Pictures.pdf ( Memento from November 15, 2005 in the Internet Archive )
swell
- ↑ http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/tna/+/http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file11257.pdf/
- ^ Areva company publication: Anglo - French HVDC Link , 2009