The French electricity transmission network operator RTE has released the final version of its ten-year grid development plan. In the next ten years, RTE plans to add 1,000 km of new underground or submarine DC lines and associated conversion stations, 400 km of underground 225 kV lines (plus 100 km of 225 kV overhead lines) and to upgrade 700 km of existing 400 kV lines. The 400 kV network will be extended with new lines, such as Midi-Provence, Lyon-Montelimar, Gaudière-Rueyres (line doubling), Cergy-Persan, Havre-Rougemontier, Lille-Arras or Charleville-Reims.
Interconnection capacities will be boosted with Spain (+3.7 GW in import capacity and 3.6 GW for export), Italy (+1.2 GW for export, + 1 GW for import), Switzerland (up to +1.5 GW), Germany (up to +2 GW), Belgium (up to +1.3 GW), the United Kingdom (+3.4 GW) and Ireland (new 700 MW line). RTE plans to invest about €1.5bn/year, of which 2/3 will be directed to network development, 27% to manage existing assets and 7% to other investments.