Red Eléctrica begins submarine cable lay for Bay of Bizkaia France link
NKT's vessel Victoria is laying the first 65 km segment off the Basque coast, with offshore works running through summer 2027.
By Matthias Blank · drafted with the Vantage newsroom system, approved before publication
Red Eléctrica has begun laying submarine cable for the Bay of Bizkaia electricity interconnection with France, marking a construction milestone for Iberian grid integration. The works are being carried out jointly with French TSO RTE through their shared entity Inelfe. The route is entirely underground and submarine, connecting the Basque coast to the French coast near Bordeaux.
The first phase covers a 65 km segment off the Basque coast. Danish firm NKT is executing this stage with cable-laying vessel Victoria, which is also supplying the cables. In total, four submarine cables and additional fibre optic cables will be installed. Offshore works are scheduled in multiple stages between this summer and summer 2027.
The interconnection is a strategic asset for the Iberian Peninsula, which remains among the least-connected zones in Europe relative to installed capacity. Per Aurora Energy Research, stronger European grid interconnection could unlock 27 TWh of additional renewables across the continent. The Bay of Bizkaia link is one of the key projects intended to close that gap for Spain and Portugal.
Source: Red Eléctrica
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