Spain-France Bay of Biscay link moves forward as transformers ship to Gatika

Red Eléctrica has started moving the core converter equipment for the Bay of Biscay Spain-France interconnection. Seven high-voltage electrical transformers are being shipped from the Port of Bilbao to the right bank of the Bilbao estuary this month, then transported individually by road to the Gatika converter substation in Bizkaia. Hitachi Energy is carrying out the logistics under its contract with Red Eléctrica.

The scale of the equipment dictates the pace. Each unit weighs 315 tonnes and spans 10 metres in length, meaning only one transformer can move per road convoy. Red Eléctrica says it is coordinating with regional road authorities to schedule transports during lowest-traffic windows to limit disruption.

The Gatika milestone arrives as Reuters reports France and Morocco are planning a separate direct electricity link, a signal that cross-Mediterranean and cross-border grid buildout is accelerating simultaneously. The Bay of Biscay interconnection remains one of the highest-priority projects for tightening the Iberian Peninsula's historically weak coupling with the rest of the European grid.