FAB Link has submitted an application to the States of Guernsey for an alternative subsea route around the island of Alderney for its interconnector cables.
Delays to Alderney’s Land Use Plan (LUP) process and continuing uncertainty around FAB Link’s ability to submit a planning application for cables on the island have led to the alternative route being proposed.
The route has been developed in the Bailiwick of Guernsey territorial waters from the French Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to the north and French territorial waters to the south.
An offshore geophysical and benthic survey of the alternative subsea route was undertaken in July 2017. The data from this survey has been used to confirm the feasibility of the route and to inform the production of the environmental report that accompanies this application, which has been made to the States of Guernsey.
Chris Jenner, the FAB Development Manager, said: “We have submitted this alternative route in case we cannot progress with the original proposal which crosses Alderney.
“As with the original application submitted in December 2016, the offshore alternative route has been designed to enable the connection of future tidal stream energy in States of Alderney waters.
“This alternative application does not prejudice the progression of the onshore cable route pre-application process currently ongoing with the States of Alderney.”
The FAB (France-Alderney-Britain) Project is a 220km subsea and underground 1.4GW electricity interconnector between France and Britain, via the island of Alderney. It will link the national electricity grids of Britain and France with the aim of increasing energy security, cutting consumers’ bills, and enabling greater use of greener, low-carbon electricity.
The latest application and environmental report are available to download here.