Greenlink
Cross BorderOperational
GBIE
500 MW320 kV190 km2025Also known as:NESO TEC PRO-000279
Status:Operational
Capacity:500 MW
Project Company:
Greenlink Interconnector Limited
Type:cross border
Expected Life:40 years
Website:www.greenlink.ie
Greenlink is a subsea high-voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnector linking Great Island (County Wexford), Ireland and Pembrokeshire (Pembroke/Pembrokeshire converter/station area), Great Britain. The link comprises two converter stations and bi-directional HVDC cables configured to transfer nominally c.500 MW (project literature reports 500–504 MW) and uses ±320 kV DC conversion technology....
Supply Chain (8)
Project Timeline (52)
17 Apr 2025First Power
On 17 April 2025 Greenlink was energised and began transferring electricity between Great Britain and Ireland. The 504 MW, 320 kV HVDC interconnector linked National Grid’s Pembroke substation (Wales) and EirGrid’s Great Island substation (County Wexford), with converter stations at each end converting DC to AC for export/import. National Grid, EirGrid and Greenlink Interconnector Limited coordinated the connections and testing prior to live transfers; the asset entered service to boost cross‑border security of supply and enable sharing of renewable generation between the two systems.
17 Mar 2025Stake Transaction
Partners Group agreed to sell Greenlink Interconnector to Baltic Cable AB and Equitix on 17 March 2025. The transaction valued the 504 MW subsea interconnector at over EUR 1 billion; Partners Group had taken the asset from financing through construction to initial commercial operations in early 2025. The buyers will take ownership of the asset that links National Grid in Wales to EirGrid’s Great Island substation in Ireland.
€1,000M
Baltic Cable AB
29 Jan 2025Commercial Operations Full Power
On 29 January 2025 Greenlink entered commercial operation. The project — a privately owned 504 MW subsea HVDC interconnector between Great Island (Ireland) and Pembroke (Wales) operated by EirGrid/National Grid arrangements — was declared commercially operational following completion of commissioning activities, permitting it to undertake commercial power transfers and market transactions between the two jurisdictions.
2025Capacity Upgrade
The Western Nevada Master Plan identified Phase 1 (ISD 2025) of the Greenlink Nevada Transmission Project to increase TRIC capacity on the 120 kV system from 330 MW to 600 MW. Works specified for Phase 1 included the West Tracy–CMM 345 kV line and installation of the CMM 345/120 kV #1 280 MVA transformer. The master plan presented these items as the initial in‑service deliverables to strengthen transfer capacity and reliability for northern–southern Nevada power flows. The entry is documented in the ESIG master plan slides for Greenlink (ISD 2025).
1 Jan 2025Onss Commissioned
The onshore converter stations and associated GIS tail station for the Greenlink interconnector completed commissioning as part of the overall system commissioning carried out in December 2024 and January 2025, enabling the link between the Irish and GB grids to enter operational service under challenging system conditions and ahead of schedule.
23 Aug 2024System Testing
Sumitomo Electric announced successful completion of all testing and commissioning activities for the Greenlink cable system and confirmed formal handover of the installed HVDC cable assets to consortium partner Siemens Energy AG. The release stated that trial operations of the interconnector would commence in the coming months, following handover, to verify end-to-end performance before commercial service. The announcement covered onshore and offshore cable installation, factory/field testing and the integrated commissioning activities required to prepare the link for system trials.
23 Aug 2024Cable Installation Complete
Sumitomo Electric completed installation works and formally handed over the completed HVDC cable system for the Greenlink interconnector to Siemens Energy AG. The handover transferred responsibility for the integrated cable assets to the consortium partner to allow Siemens Energy to complete remaining commissioning, system integration and trial operations ahead of entry into commercial service.
~Apr 2024Cable Installation Complete
Jan De Nul completed installation, burial and protection of the Greenlink subsea cables between autumn 2023 and spring 2024. The two cable sections were joined at a mid‑sea meeting point; burial works used the project trencher (Swordfish) and support vessel Symphony, and rock protection was placed by the rock‑installation vessel Simon Stevin where seabed conditions prevented trenching.
~Apr 2024Cable Landfall Complete
Landfall operations for Greenlink at both Baginbun Beach (Ireland) and Freshwater West (Wales) were executed using horizontal directional drilling (HDD) methods and were completed during the spring 2024 campaign. HDD allowed the subsea cables to be brought ashore with the duct exits below the low‑water mark, minimising beach and dune disturbance; onshore reinstatement followed standard reinstatement and protection measures.
~Mar 2024Cable Installation Start
A second cable‑laying campaign commenced from the Irish coast in spring 2024 to complete the remaining subsea section. Jan De Nul started the second leg from the Irish landfall and progressed toward the mid‑sea meeting point for final joining of the two subsea sections.