AREVA’s Transmission and Distribution Division
has been awarded a 70 million euros contract by
National Grid and RTE, to enhance the reliability
and reinforce the availability of IFA 2000, the
world’s largest subsea High Voltage Direct Current
(HVDC) scheme interconnecting the French and British
national power systems.
AREVA will replace the existing high voltage
converter equipment and the control and cooling
system, implementing its H-400 high voltage direct
current Thyristor valves and Series V control
system in order to optimize the interconnector’s
availability. The downtime on each circuit is
limited to less than seven weeks.
Since its launch in 1986, IFA 2000 has significantly
contributed to the development of the European
electricity market and has been recognized as
a technical success. Today, this interconnection
is the means to efficiently transmit electricity
between the two countries.
Philippe Guillemot, chairman and CEO of AREVA’s
Transmission and Distribution division comments,
“IFA 2000 has been a pioneering interconnection
and a positive example of effective co-operation
and partnership between European electricity companies.
Our knowledge and experience of this interconnection
dates back to 1986 when AREVA supplied the original
HVDC converters. We are therefore extremely confident
that we can provide the most appropriate solutions
that will maximize the performance and efficiency
of the scheme.”
