The “FAB” project (France – Alderney – Britain) plans to build an electrical interconnector underwater and underground between France and Great Britain. Interconnectors are transmission cables which allow electricity to flow between countries, and can be used to import or export power as required.
The project will consist of one pair of electrical cables, a converter station at each end, and connections into the high voltage grids at each end. It will travel nearly 220 km between the electrical substations at Menuel, on the Cotentin peninsula in France, and near Exeter.
The FAB Project will link the national electricity grids of Britain and France with the aim of increasing energy security, equalising electricity prices between the two countries and thus cutting consumers’ bills, and enabling greater use of greener, low-carbon electricity.
In June 2023, FAB Link Limited submitted an updated planning application to East Devon District Council for the converter station site to the east of the Harriers Court Industrial Estate, near Exeter airport.
In October 2023, East Devon District Council granted planning permission for the HVDC converter station site.
The updated planning permission was based upon the amended design of the project from a capacity of 1400MW to 1250MW to reduce the overall impact of the project and to increase its cost efficiency.
James Dickson, the FAB Link Project Director, said: “We are very pleased with this important milestone for the project. This unanimous decision recognises the overwhelming public interest in the project and the longstanding engagement the project has had with stakeholders. We’re very grateful to everyone who helped us achieve this.”