INELFE — Europe´s first integrated onshore HVDC interconnection

Deregulation and privatization are posing new challenges on both high voltage transmission and distributions systems. Increasingly liberalized markets encourage trading opportunities to be identified and developed. Environmental constraints, such as energy saving, loss minimization and CO₂ reduction features HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) as preferred solution in heavily loaded power systems; advantages are increased transmission capacity, improved system stability and prevention of cascading disturbances. In this respect, by 2014, a new HVDC interconnection will be in commercial operation between France and Spain. It is designed as two identical but independent voltage source converters (VSC) links between Santa Llogaia (Spain) and Baixas (France), with a nominal active power of 1,000 MW each and a rated DC voltage of ±320 kV (positive - negative pole). This project is Europe´s first DC onshore interconnection integrated in the synchronous AC grid.