Asso.subsea, one of the global leaders in the submarine cable installation field, announces its strategic partnership with Nexans, a world-renowned submarine cable manufacturer, to undertake the subsea burial operations for the groundbreaking Celtic Interconnector project, under development by EirGrid, the operator and developer of Ireland’s electricity grid, and its French counterpart, Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTE). This venture is set to become Ireland’s first power connection with continental Europe, boasting a total capacity of 700 MW, and will facilitate the import and export of electricity sufficient to power 450,000 homes.
The Celtic Interconnector spans 575 km, constituting a high voltage direct current connection across the Celtic Sea, from east Cork to the north-west coast of Brittany, France. Asso.subsea, leveraging its expertise and experience, assumes a pivotal role in designing and executing one of the project’s most challenging marine aspects, which will be divided into three distinct campaigns.
The initial campaign, scheduled for 2024, will include boulder clearance and pre-trenching activities. Subsequent campaigns are planned for 2025 and 2026, focusing on post-trenching operations. Asso.subsea’s Trenching Support Vessels Aethra, Athena and Argo, renowned for their reliability in harsh environments, along with advanced seabed preparation equipment and AssoTrencher IV series mechanical trenchers, will be deployed to ensure the project’s success. The AssoJet III, Asso’s newest jetting remote operated vehicle (ROV), will also play a crucial role in supporting the operation, by offering the required flexibility to address a diverse range of underwater tasks.