Feasibility of Iceland/United Kingdom HVDC submarine cable link

The authors address: market considerations, including forecasts for the development of electricity supply in the United Kingdom with cost of electricity from new plant; investments for the development of hydro resources in Iceland, supply of submarine cables, overhead transmission lines, and rectifier/inverter plant; marine environment, installation of cables, and cable repair; rectifier/inverter station equipment; high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) overhead transmission lines; and overall availability of the link. It is shown that: there should be no major difficulties in the manufacture and laying of submarine cables of the length and type necessary for the link; the availability of the connection should be at least equal to that of a new coal or nuclear plant; and the cost of energy delivered would be very competitive with that from new coal or nuclear power stations