Positive
Project advancing - milestone achieved
High Impact
Major milestone or critical setback
By 10 March 2023, INELFE (the Red Eléctrica / RTE joint venture) had obtained all the administrative authorisations required to proceed with the Bay of Biscay electricity interconnection between Gatika (Spain) and Cubnezais (France) and awarded the main Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts to Prysmian Group (cables) and Hitachi Energy (converter stations). This milestone followed the 2021-2023 'Authorisations' phase reported on INELFE's official project page: French Ministry of Energy Transition validation of the Route of Least Impact in September 2021, Spanish REE authorisation applications in May 2021, and French RTE applications on 1 December 2021, followed by public inquiries and favourable opinions from independent commissions on both sides. Without all authorisations in place the EPC contract awards would not have been possible. Physical work subsequently began in France in October 2023 and in Spain shortly after. This composite date marks the effective end of the permitting phase for the project.