Belgium-headquartered GeoXYZ has been appointed to carry out unexploded ordnance (UXO) investigation and geotechnical surveys for a proposed HVDC subsea electricity interconnector that will link Northern Ireland and Scotland, with the work set to begin this month.
The LirIC interconnector project will have a total cable route length of around 142 kilometers and will provide up to 700 MW of further capacity between the Irish Integrated Single Energy Market (I-SEM) and Great Britain’s wholesale electricity market.
Two converter stations will connect LirIC to the 275 kV high-voltage network in Kilroot in Northern Ireland and the 400 kV high-voltage network in Hunterston in Scotland, with two 320 kV HVDC cables connecting the two converter stations under the bed of the Irish Sea.
Geo Ocean IX will conduct offshore UXO investigation works, utilizing towed equipment, and geotechnical survey works, including cone penetration testing (CPT) and vibrocore sampling. GeoSurveyor VIII will perform the nearshore surveys in water depths less than 10 meters LAT. No UXO detonation or disposal activities will be undertaken as part of the program.
The marine surveys are expected to begin on May 24 and be completed by approximately July 8, subject to weather and operational constraints.