Earlier this month (February 2015) final investment decision for the NordLink high voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnector was made by partners Statnett, TenneT and KfW.
This will be the first direct connection between the German and Norwegian electricity markets and is yet another indicator how positive interconnectors are for the Norwegian electricity market. This development is also likely to strengthen interest in a cable project connecting Iceland and Europe (sometimes referred to as IceLink). Thus, we at Askja Energy will closely be following the construction of the NordLink.
NordLink is a turning point in the development of subsea electric cables. The longest cable of this kind today is the 580 km long NorNed between Norway and the Netherlands, which has been in operation since 2008. The length of NordLink will be close to 600 km, of which 516 km will be a subsea cable. Furthermore, the capacity of NordLink will be 1,400 MW and the voltage will be 500 kV, while NorNed is only 700 MW (and 450 kV).
The NordLink will be realized by the Norwegian Statnett and Nordseekabel, each with 50 percent ownership in the project. The Dutch TSO TenneT (which also operates transmission system in Germany) and the German promotional bank KfW each have shares of 50 percent in Nordseekabel. The tender process has been finalized, where Nexans and ABB have been awarded contracts for the HVDC cable itself and ABB has been awarded the contract for the converter stations (on each end of the cable in Germany and Norway). Lead insurer for the project will be Codan.
The NordLink comprises a total investment volume of approximately EUR 1.5 – 2 billion EUR (equivalent to 1,7-2,3 billion USD). The interconnector is scheduled for commissioning and trial operation in the last quarter of 2019, and after the trial period the interconnector will go into commercial operations in 2020.
The most important aspect of NordLink’s business model is to utilizing the flexibility of Norway’s hydropower system as storage for German wind power. This will increase the utilization of the German wind power capacity and also make it possible to maximize profits of the Norwegian hydropower industry, creating a win-sin situation. The result will also be increased proportion of renewable electricity and increased security of supply. Without doubt, an interconnector between Iceland and Europe would offer similar advantages.
Plans for the new Thorsil silicon plant in Helguvík in Southwestern Iceland are moving well ahead.
When in full production in 2017, the Thorsil plant is expected to produce up to 54 thousand tons of silicon metal, as well as 26 thousand tons of silica powder. The plant will utilize close to 85 MW of power capacity, all from Icelandic renewable energy sources. The decision to locate this new silicon plant in Iceland is based on many factors, including very competitive electricity prices and positive tax environment in Iceland.
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