Construction work

Tender description

The Celtic Electrical Interconnector FR-IR Project is being developed as a 700 MW, 320 kV VSC HVDC link between the French and Irish transmissions systems. This HVDC link is composed of one circuit, comprised of two power cables and two converter stations. The link is approximately 575 km long, of which the offshore element comprises approximately 500 km. The converter stations are currently anticipated to be located close to the 400 kV La Martyre substation (France) and the Knockraha 220 kV substation in Co. Cork (Ireland). The project is supported by the European Union’s Connecting Europe facility (CEF). A separate contract notice will be published for an EPC Contract relating to the design, manufacture, delivery, installation, commissioning and maintenance of the converter station. This notice relates to the EPC contract for the detailed design, engineering, procurement, manufacturing, delivery, installation and commissioning of the Cable Link between Ireland and France, and (if necessary) associated maintenance contract/s, inclusive of all civil works. The overall length of the HVDC cable route is estimated to be approximately 575 km with underground DC cable of approximately 40 km in France, a HVDC submarine cable section approximately 500 km long, and approximately 32 km of HVDC underground cable in Ireland. All cable lengths are approximate and to be confirmed at a later stage. Fibre optic cable will also be required to be installed alongside the power cables. There will be a length of HVAC underground cable required to link the converter station to the Knockraha 220 kV AC substation in East Cork on the Irish side. A HVAC substation will form part of the Project requirements on the Irish side (as part of Converter Station EPC Contract) to facilitate the HVAC connection from the converter station to the Knockraha 220 kV station in East Cork. The scope of the Cable EPC Contract shall include: — design, manufacturing, delivery, installation, laying and burial of DC submarine cable system for the DC offshore element of the link (note, landfall transition joint civils and accessories are included in the offshore element of the link); — design, manufacturing, delivery and installation of DC onshore cable system inclusive of all civil requirements; — design manufacturing, delivery and installation of Fibre Optic cable system inclusive of all civil requirements; — AC cable system requirements in Ireland inclusive of manufacturing, delivery and installation; — all testing,and commissioning requirements for the DC offshore, DC onshore, Fibre optic, AC cable systems and overall installed link are also included in this Cable EPC Contract; and — warranty period defects rectification for the DC onshore, DC offshore and AC cable systems is also included. — there may be a requirement for collateral warranties and/or direct agreements in favour of third parties with an interest in the Project. Maintenance It is expected that during the defects liability period under the Cable EPC Contract the EPC Contractor shall be obliged to remedy defects in accordance with the terms of the Cable EPC Contract. Subject to the nature of defects obligations under the Cable EPC Contract, it is also anticipated that certain other maintenance services will be managed under a separate contract, the terms of which will be agreed with the appointed EPC Contractor (or another nominated entity) as part of the Cable EPC Contract negotiations. This separate maintenance contract shall, at the option of the contracting entity, be concluded between either: (a) (i) the Contracting Entity on the one part; and (ii) the appointed EPC Contractor (or another nominated entity) on the other part; or (b) (i) EirGrid and RTE (or any of their respective group companies) on the one part; and (ii) the appointed EPC Contractor (or another nominated entity) on the other part. The maintenance contract will provide for a range of maintenance services to be provided over a period of years. The maintenance requirements associated with EirGrid’s assets and RTE’s assets may vary. The law under which the IMR will be governed will be specified at the ITT. The contracting entity, CIDAC, is an incorporated joint venture company established in Ireland, to procure the design, construction, installation, commissioning and maintenance of the Celtic Interconnector assets. The CELTIC Electrical Interconnector FR-IR Project is a joint project developed by CIDAC in its own name but on behalf of its shareholders, Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE) and EirGrid plc, who act as the transmission system operators in France and Ireland respectively. The project is supported by the European Union’s Connecting Europe facility (CEF).