<article><p class="lead">The 1GW Eleclink interconnector between the UK and France has been approved by the IGC and remains on track for commercial operations by mid-2022, its operators have said.</p><p>Channel Tunnel regulator IGC reinstated its approval to pull the cable through the Channel Tunnel earlier this month, Eleclink said.</p><p>Work on the cable is expected to begin in February 2021 and be completed in summer 2021. "Following this work, an in-depth testing and commissioning phase will take place before commercial commissioning, scheduled for mid-2022," Eleclink said. This is in line with its estimate <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2150981">from October</a> this year.</p><p>This is the last step for the project — construction on converter stations on both sides of the tunnel was completed <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/1953823">in 2019</a>.</p><p>The interconnector was delayed because IGC asked for further safety reports. The Covid-19 pandemic delayed it further, preventing IGC from meeting to re-approve the safety case.</p><p>Eleclink, a merchant line, will be able to sell <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/1878514">multi-year capacity</a>.</p><p>The link will take UK-France interconnection capacity to 4GW, from 2GW currently. The 1GW IFA2 link is currently in the commissioning phase, which has taken longer than expected. Test flows, which <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2160298">began</a> in early November, initially were expected to end in early December but <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2169730">the latest Remit posts</a> show that it will continue until at least 18 January of next year.</p><p class="bylines"><i>By Killian Staines</i></p></article>
