Spanish TSO Red Eléctrica has started laying the submarine cable for the Bay of Biscay electricity interconnection with France, a strategic project being developed jointly with French TSO RTE through the joint venture Inelfe (Red Eléctrica press release, 03/08/2026).
The project includes four submarine power cables and parallel fibre-optic cables along a 276 km submarine route, as well as a 27 km underground section in France designed to bypass the Capbreton submarine canyon. The first phase is being carried out by the cable-laying vessel NKT Victoria, which has begun installing cable from Lemoiz on Spain's northern coast.
In Spain, Red Eléctrica has completed the coastal landing infrastructure in Lemoiz, including four horizontal directional drillings of more than 1 km each beneath the coastal cliffs to minimise environmental impacts.
According to Red Eléctrica, the project is now around 60% complete. Installation is planned to take place in several phases from summer 2026 to summer 2027. Once commissioned, it is expected to increase the electricity exchange capacity between Spain and France from 2.8 GW to 5 GW. The project has been designated a Project of Common Interest by the European Union.