Channel Islands Electricity Grid
# Channel Islands Electricity Grid

The Channel Islands Electricity Grid (CIEG) is the joint company set up in 1998 between Guernsey Electricity and Jersey Electricity to operate and manage the submarine cables between mainland Europe and the Channel Islands.

The grid physically comprises a network of high voltage (90 kV, 3-phase, 50 Hz) submarine and underground cables linking the French electricity grid to the electricity systems on the islands of Jersey and Guernsey. The grid enables electricity generated from renewable sources in France to be transmitted to Jersey and Guernsey.

## Development

The CIEG is continuing to develop the undersea cable network with additional subsea cables between the islands and France being devised to give both Guernsey and Jersey greater security and better affordability, as they will give the islands the opportunity to increase the amount of imported energy.

Long term agreements with Électricité de France (EdF) ensure the imported electricity is low carbon. Ninety percent of Guernsey’s electricity is imported from the grid.

Co-operating through the CIEG means the islands can work together towards improving the reliability of the grid system.

## Cable connections

| Name | Type | Operational period | Route | Distance | Capacity | Status | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Normandie 2 | Submarine | 2000–present | Saint-Rémy-des-Landes, France to Archirondel, Jersey | 17 kilometres (11 mi) | 90 MW | Operational | Cable contains fibre optic cables |
| GJ1 | Submarine | 2000–2018 2019-present | Queen's Road, Jersey to Barkers Quarry, Guernsey | 37.4 kilometres (23.2 mi) | 60 MW | Operational | Cable contains 3 fibre optic cables of 24 fibres each, ceased working in 2018 after 2 faults. Replaced in 2019 at a cost of £30m. |
| Normandie 3 | Submarine | 2014–present | Armanville (Pirou), France to Grouville Bay Jersey then to South Hill sub-station | 32 kilometres (20 mi) (+ 17 km overland in France and 7 km overland in Jersey) | 100 MW | Operational | |
| Normandie 1 | Submarine | 2017–present | Surville to Archirondel, Jersey | 27 kilometres (17 mi) (+ 2 km overland in France) | 100 MW | Operational | Work started in 2016. Follows same route as EDF1 at a cost of £40m it became operational in February 2017. |
| GJ2 | Submarine | | Jersey to Petit Bot, Guernsey | 38 kilometres (24 mi) | 100 MW | pending | |
| GF1 | Submarine | | Vale, Guernsey to La Manche, France | 54 kilometres (34 mi) | | pending | |
| FAB Link | Submarine | | France to Alderney to Britain (FAB Link) | 220 kilometres (140 mi) | 1,400 MW | suspended | |
| EDF1 | Submarine | 1984 - 2012 | Surville, France to Archirondel,Jersey | 27 kilometres (17 mi) | 50 MW | Removed | Faulty cable lifted in 2016 for recycling |
| | Underground | | Archirondel substation to South Hill substation via Rue des Pres substation, Jersey | | | Operational | |
| | Underground | | Archirondel substation to Queen's Road substation, Jersey | | | Operational | |
| | Underground | | South Hill s/s to Queen's Road s/s via St. Helier West s/s, Jersey | | | Operational | |
| | Underground | | South Hill s/s to Western Primary s/s, Jersey | | | Operational | |
| | Underground | | Western Primary s/s to Queen's Road s/s, Jersey | | | Operational | |
| | Underground | | Queen's Road to Greve de Lecq, Jersey (GJ1) | | | Operational | |
| | Underground | | Barkers Quarry to Bellegreve, Guernsey | | | Operational | |

## Future

* Possible - France to Guernsey
* Unlikely - Guernsey to Sark
