GridLink Interconnector Ltd has gone out to tender with two separate contracts for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) services and development consents for the UK and France respectively for the construction and operation of a new 1 400 MW, 525 kV electricity interconnector cable between Kingsnorth in UK and Dunkerque in France.
The UK contract covers the areas of Kingsnorth, Kent, Medway estuary, Thames estuary and the English channel to the limit of UK Territorial Waters.
The required development consents comprise:
- Planning permission;
- Marine licence;
- Permit for works in flood zone;
- Land drainage consent;
- River works licence.
The French contract covers the Grand Port Maritime de Dunkerque, Nord Department, Nord-Pas-de-Calais Region, English channel to limit of French Territorial Waters, including all environmental baseline studies, technical assessments, preparation of application forms and related documentation.
The required development consents according to French laws and regulations comprise:
- Environmental Impact Assessment (etude d'impact);
- Preventative Archaeology Decision (archaeologie preventive);
- Unique Authorisation (AU-IOTA) — integrated environmental permit under Environment Code (EIA, Water Laws);
- Declaration of Public Utility (Declaration d'Utilite Publique, DUP) — including automatic modification of applicable Plan Local d'Urbanismes (PLUs);
- Maritime Public Area Utilisation right (DPM);
- Building Permit (permis de construire).
Anticipated start dates for both contracts is 6th June 2017 with a completion date of 31 March 2019.
Click here to access the UK tender documentation
Click here to access the French tender documentation