Eisspeedway

Channel Islands Electricity Grid

The Channel Islands Electricity Grid (CIEG) is the joint company set up in 1998 between Guernsey Electricity and Jersey Electricity to operate and manage the submarine cables between mainland Europe and the Channel Islands.

The grid physically comprises a network of high voltage (90 kV, 3-phase, 50 Hz) submarine and underground cables linking the French electricity grid to the electricity systems on the islands of Jersey and Guernsey.[1] The grid enables electricity generated from renewable sources in France to be transmitted to Jersey and Guernsey.

Development

The CIEG is continuing to develop the undersea cable network with additional subsea cables between the islands and France being devised[citation needed] to give both Guernsey and Jersey greater security and better affordability, as they will give the islands the opportunity to increase the amount of imported energy.

Long term agreements with Électricité de France (EdF) ensure the imported electricity is low carbon.[2] Ninety percent of Guernsey’s electricity is imported from the grid.[3]

Co-operating through the CIEG means the islands can work together towards improving the reliability of the grid system.

Cable connections

Name Type Operational period Route Distance Capacity Status Notes
Normandie 2[4] Submarine 2000–present Saint-Rémy-des-Landes,[5] France to Archirondel, Jersey 17 kilometres (11 mi) 90 MW Operational Cable contains fibre optic cables
GJ1[6] Submarine 2000–2018

2019-present
Queen's Road, Jersey to Barkers Quarry, Guernsey 37.4 kilometres (23.2 mi) 60 MW Operational Cable contains 3 fibre optic cables of 24 fibres each, ceased working in 2018 after 2 faults.
Replaced in 2019 at a cost of £30m.[7]
Normandie 3[8] Submarine 2014–present Armanville (Pirou), France to Grouville Bay Jersey then to South Hill sub-station 32 kilometres (20 mi) (+ 17 km overland in France and 7 km overland in Jersey) 100 MW Operational
Normandie 1[9] Submarine 2017–present Surville to Archirondel, Jersey 27 kilometres (17 mi) (+ 2 km overland in France) 100 MW Operational Work started in 2016.[10] Follows same route as EDF1 at a cost of £40m it became operational in February 2017.
GJ2[11] Submarine Jersey to Petit Bot, Guernsey 38 kilometres (24 mi) 100 MW pending
GF1[12] Submarine Vale, Guernsey to La Manche, France 54 kilometres (34 mi) pending
FAB Link[13] Submarine France to Alderney to Britain (FAB Link) 220 kilometres (140 mi) 1,400 MW suspended
EDF1[14] Submarine 1984 - 2012 Surville, France to Archirondel,Jersey 27 kilometres (17 mi) 50 MW Removed Faulty cable lifted in 2016 for recycling[15]
Underground Archirondel substation to South Hill substation via Rue des Pres substation, Jersey Operational
Underground Archirondel substation to Queen's Road substation, Jersey Operational
Underground South Hill s/s to Queen's Road s/s via St. Helier West s/s, Jersey Operational
Underground South Hill s/s to Western Primary s/s, Jersey Operational
Underground Western Primary s/s to Queen's Road s/s, Jersey Operational
Underground Queen's Road to Greve de Lecq, Jersey (GJ1) Operational
Underground Barkers Quarry to Bellegreve, Guernsey Operational

Future

  • Possible - France to Guernsey [16]
  • Unlikely - Guernsey to Sark [17]

See also

References