Work has been completed on the main construction of the Ar Merzher converter station in Brittany.

French infrastructure group NGE, in partnership with Siemens Energy, has today (28 April) announced the completion of the main construction works of the Ar Merzher converter station in Brittany, on behalf of transmission system operators Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE) and EirGrid.

The station is a critical component of the Celtic Interconnecter, a first of its kind and critical project connecting electricity grids in Cork and France’s Brittany via subsea cables. The project will create a 575km link between the regions with a 700MW exchange capacity, which is equivalent to the electricity needs of around 450,000 households.

The aim of the Celtic Interconnector project is to strengthen Europe’s energy security, improve grid resilience, support renewable energy integration and accelerate cross-border decarbonisation efforts. 

The Ar Merzher converter station will convert direct current transmitted through the submarine cable into alternating current for injection into the French electricity grid and vice versa, enabling power exchanges between France and Ireland. Main works are to be completed in May of this year, with energisation planned from June and full commission of the project expected by 2028.

Commenting on the announcement, Stéphane Perez, CEO of NGE said: “This project is emblematic of our capacity to bring together the full breadth of expertise required to deliver a complex and ambitious scheme that supports Europe’s energy sovereignty. It is fully aligned with our strategic roadmap and reflects our commitment to playing an active role in the ecological transition.”

RTE’s Rémi Courtial, the project director for the Celtic Interconnector, added: “This is the first link between the Republic of Ireland, a member of the European Union, and mainland Europe. We aim to facilitate the flow of energy across Europe. Mutual support between European countries remains an act of sovereignty. Everyone benefits from each other’s decarbonised energy.”

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