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A 2,500 tonne electricity cable has finally been pulled ashore at Gorey after reaching the end of its long, slow journey from the French coast that started at Easter.
The £40 million cable is a joint project between Jersey Electricity and Guernsey Electricity to improve power links to Normandy, where most of the islands’ electricity comes from.
Part of the beach was closed off as the cable arrived, and there were be restrictions for boat users in the area.
Final clearance was received for the 100 MW cable last week when a survey for unexploded ordinance gave the landing the green light.
When commissioned, the cable – Normandie 3 – will link the Channel Islands to France and forms part of the Channel Islands Electricity Grid (CIEG) along with Normandie 2, an existing 100MW cable between Jersey and France and GJ1, a 60MW cable between Guernsey and Jersey.
The barge, the Cable Enterprise, is now heading back to Holland after spending most of the weekend off Gorey.
The power companies say that the extra link will reduce the need to generate power here, which is much more expensive than buying it in from France. The cable should be commissioned and working by 2015.
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