Talks under way on direct cable link with France

Talks are under way to lay a direct 54km marine cable between Vale and La Manche – known as GF1 – giving Guernsey direct access to the European grid.

‘The current situation again demonstrates the need for Guernsey to have its own direct cable link which would connect with the European grid via France and provide enhanced security of supply,’ said Guernsey Electricity CEO Alan Bates.

‘The existing importation agreements for electricity are commercial contracts between the Channel Islands Electricity Grid, of which Guernsey Electricity is a part, with the supplier of electricity EdF and the French electricity transmission operator RTE. We are progressing discussions with these partners to ensure that electricity supplies to Guernsey will continue to be maintained.’

The first cable connecting France and Jersey was laid in 2000. Extension to Guernsey has given the island cheaper and cleaner electricity than generating at the power station, but under the island’s energy security policy it has always maintained provision for on-island generation, which has been essential when the cable links have failed.

A subsea cable – named GJ1 – connects Guernsey to Jersey. It suffered a number of faults in late 2018 and early 2019, so was replaced at a cost of £30m.

When the company was looking at the replacement, it was noted that the additional cost of generating on-island would be between £11m. and £17m. a year, with an associated 216,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide produced. If these additional costs had to be passed on to customers, it would have resulted in tariffs rising more than 20%.

Under the existing Electricity Strategy, the States requires GEL to operate to a security of supply criterion referred to as N-2. That requires GEL to ensure that it has sufficient plant to meet maximum demand with its two largest sources of supply – excluding the interconnector – simultaneously unavailable.