WSP has been appointed as a consultant on Greenlink's €400 million electricity interconnector project linking Ireland and Wales.

The 500MW 200km high voltage direct current (HVDC) link is due to start construction in 2020.

WSP will support Greenlink through the final cost and technical assessments for Ofgem and CRU and will run the procurement process for the entire HVDC system.

As Principal Designer and Project Supervisor Designer Stage, WSP will also ensure the safety of those constructing, operating and maintaining the interconnector.

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Greenlink will construct converter stations at each end, connected by two electricity cables and a fibre optic cable. The cables will run underground and under the sea from the Great Island substation in Co Wexford to Freshwater West beach in Wales, before continuing to run underground to the Pembroke substation.

WSP Project Director, Dyan Stephenson said: "We are delighted to be working with the Greenlink team and are pleased to continue our leading position in this market to ensure this major project is successfully delivered."

Simon Ludlam, Greenlink's Project Director, added: "Greenlink represents significant inward investment at a local level on both sides of the Irish Sea, as well as supporting the UK and Ireland's national energy security and low carbon strategies. In awarding this contract to WSP we are pleased to be able to draw on their experience and expertise as we continue to progress the development of the project."

The project is predicted to save Irish consumers around €800million over its lifetime.

(CM)