Image courtesy 123rf
Spain’s TSO Red Eléctrica has begun work on the underwater power line for the first of two circuits that will connect Ceuta’s electrical system with the mainland.
The cable laying begins on the Iberian Peninsula, off the coast of La Línea de la Concepción, and will continue over the coming weeks with the 58km extension of the cable along the seabed, reaching the coast of Ceuta, which is expected to take place in the first weeks of September.
With this new link, included in current electricity planning, Ceuta will be integrated into the peninsular electricity system, allowing it to benefit from a record share of renewable generation, which will reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.
The electrical interconnection will also enable a more efficient energy model in Ceuta, by replacing high-cost energy generated by the current thermal power plant with energy from the Peninsula, resulting in savings for the electrical system.
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To carry out the operation, which Red Eléctrica says becomes complex due to the installation and protection of the cable at depths of up to 900m, the TSO will be using machinery such as cable burial equipment and post-laying underground machinery.
For these projects, the company will be using the cable laying vessel Giulio Verne, owned by Prysmian, which supplies submarine cables. The vessel is designed to handle complex underwater operations globally, has a reel capacity of 7,000 tonnes, and can instal cables at depths of up to 1,600 meters.
The onshore power lines, which are currently under construction, will be completely underground, running from the coast to the new Algeciras 132kV transformer station, using GIS technology, adjacent to the existing Algeciras 220kV substation.
The land-sea cable transition was carried out using horizontal directional drilling, which consists of a small tunnel through which the cable runs from the coast to a distance of several hundred meters offshore (1,000m in the case of the peninsula).
This avoids impact on beaches or bathing areas, says Red Eléctrica, and protects the natural environment.
