Skip to main content

What technologies would they use for a 1000MW 400kV underwater link?


Boss

Just catching up with some reading and found this article which appears an amazing engineering feat.
https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2018/12/uk-belgium-nemo-link-electricity-interconnector-ready-for-use/

Basically 50Hz AC is converted to 400kV and passed under the sea, which is amazing in itself, but at currents up to 2,500A and the direction can be reversed to share the power where it is required! Seem a good technique for sharing excess wind and solar power or just excess generation capacity to save starting and stopping power stations which is a growing issue coping with the randomness of 'green energy generation'.

The article states a "power cable", but that is way out of my knowlege and experience. I also wonder what losses occur in the cable? You can certainly afford to drop a few volts when at 400kV.

So the general question is what technologies lay behind this?

DesignSpark Electrical Logolinkedin