HVDC Moyle

HVDC Moyle
Aerial photograph of area where Moyle Ballycronan More HVDC converter station is. It is situated left-up the power station
Location
Country	United Kingdom (Scotland & N. Ireland)
From	Auchencrosh, South Ayrshire
To	Ballycronan More, County Antrim
Ownership information
Owner	Mutual Energy
Construction information
Commissioned	2001
Technical information
Type	submarine cable
Type of current	HVDC
Total length
Power rating	500 MW (Currently restricted to 250 MW)
DC Voltage	250 kV
Number of poles	2

The HVDC Moyle Interconnector is the HVDC link between Auchencrosh, South Ayrshire in Scotland and Ballycronan More, County Antrim in Northern Ireland, which went into service in 2001. It is owned and operated by Mutual Energy. Work is currently being carried out by Nexans (Norway) with the aid of Morrows (N.I) and Romac Civil Engineering (N.I) to replace the two existing cables between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The HVDC Moyle has capacity of 500 MW. It consists of two monopolar 250 kV DC cables with a transmission capacity of 250 MW each. The converter stations are completely equipped with light triggered thyristors.

The converter station at Auchencrosh is connected via a 64 kilometres (40 mi) single-circuit 275 kV overhead three-phase AC line, which is installed on delta-type pylon with Coylton substation where the connection with the high voltage grid of Great Britain takes place. As line connection a 63.5-kilometre (39.5 mi) long monopolar cable is used, of which 55 kilometres (34 mi) are implemented as submarine cables.

Mutual Energy is a mutual company which manages energy assets for Northern Ireland's energy consumers.

As of October 2011, the interconnector was out of service, repair efforts were being made, and the cable became operational again with 450 MW in February 2012. However, further faults meant that a major part of the interconnector had to be taken out of service until it could be augmented with additional cables, whose laying Mutual Energy estimates will be completed in 2016 or 2017. Until then, the interconnector's capacity is reduced to 250 MW, half of its design capacity.

Intraday capacity trading is not available, but is being discussed.

Sites

Site	Coordinates
Coylton substation
Auchencrosh Static Inverter Plant
Cable enters sea
Cable leaves sea
Ballycronan More Static Inverter Plant

See also

• East–West Interconnector
• Scotland–Norway interconnector
• BritNed