SPECIALIST survey work on ambitious plans for a 100-mile electricity cable between Ireland and Pembrokeshire has started this week.

The new cable will be laid under the sea between Pembroke and Great Island in County Wexford.

In a deal between Ofgem, the UK National Grid, and Element Power Ireland Ltd, the ‘Greenlink’ cable will be the first of its kind in south Wales. It will have a capacity of 500MW, equivalent to powering 380,000 homes.

The privately-financed €400 million project is being developed by Greenlink Interconnector Limited, a subsidiary of Element Power, with construction expected to start in 2020.

The subsea field work for the Greenlink interconnector has got underway with the launch of the first of marine survey specialists MMT’s survey vessel, MV Franklin, from Pembroke Dock.

The offshore and nearshore surveying along the proposed route of the electricity link between the UK and Ireland, is expected to take approximately 40 days, depending on weather conditions.

Further survey work along the 170km marine route will be undertaken by vessels MV Seabeam, MV Edda Fonn and RED7 Jack-up rig Seariser 2.

The survey area is between Freshwater West and Baginbun, Co Wexford.

A Notice to Mariners has been issued for the area.

The objective is to acquire all appropriate data for the confirmation of a preferred route for the High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cable system.

Simon Ludlam, project director for Greenlink said; “We are delighted to have appointed the expertise of MMT to undertake the marine survey work for Greenlink.

"This will collect vital data for the project development and planning applications, helping us determine the best route between Pembrokeshire and Co. Wexford from an environmental, health and safety and economic point of view.

"The launch of the surveying work today is a significant step in the development of this important electricity infrastructure project.”