Energy and telecoms cable firm Prysmian Group has completed the cable laying and burial operations for the Ibiza-Formentera interconnector.
The Balearic Islands are now connected by a submarine power cable, the result of marine installation operations performed by one of Prysmian’s cable-laying vessels, Cable Enterprise.
The vessel can undertake simultaneous laying and burial operations with any type of plough and can operate in mid-shallow water. The burial activities for this project were performed by the Group’s Heavy-Duty Plough, which according to Prysmian offers greater protection of the seabed environment.
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In 2021, Spanish energy company Red Eléctrica awarded Prysmian Group the contract to design, supply, instal, and commission two HVAC (High Voltage Alternating Current) 132kV three-core export submarine power cables with XLPE insulation and single-wire armouring for the Ibiza-Formentera interconnector.
The system comprises around 27km of submarine cables and 10km of land cables, both manufactured at Prysmian’s plant in Arco Felice (Naples).
Prysmian Group has participated in several submarine interconnections in Spain, including Spain-Morocco, Iberian Peninsula-Mallorca, Ibiza-Mallorca and Lanzarote-Fuerteventura.
“This important milestone further confirms our commitment to supporting the energy transition by making available the best cable technology for the upgrade and development of power grids, ensuring a stable and reliable flow of energy between the islands,” said Hakan Ozmen, EVP projects BU, Prysmian Group.
According to the Ibiza Preservation project, Ibiza and Formentera are working to minimise the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity. Not only are interconnectors aiding decarbonisation, but solar power is also proving to be a critical renewables resource.
The two islands have around 3000 hours or 300 days of quality sunshine every year.
The islands are therefore focused on exploiting this sunshine through a variety of off-grid solar solutions, storage systems, as well as employing energy efficiency measures to reduce demand.
