Twin 700 MW cables giving a capacity of 1,400 MW. According to plans, 25 km AC land cables in France, landfall will be made at Siouville-Hague, 30 km HVDC submarine cables between France and Alderney. 1 km land cables across Alderney, 140 km HVDC submarine cables with landfall at Budleigh Salterton with 20 km HVDC land cables to a converter station planned to be located near Exeter Airport with some AC land cables to connect to the grid in England. Land cables carry 400 Kv AC Voltage, The submarine voltage will be 320 Kv DC Voltage. Voltage Sourced Converters are the preferred converter technology.
The FAB Link in Alderney is a set of cables, each 5 inches in diameter, buried 1–2 metres deep crossing Alderney at Longis Common. It connects to the undersea cables from France to Alderney and from Alderney to England. FAB Link Limited is a joint venture between Alderney Renewable Energy Limited and Transmission Investment LLP. Transmission Investment is a leading independent transmission business spanning origination, project development, acquisition management, financial structuring and asset management.
By-Products
FAB will facilitate the export of electricity from Tidal Turbines in Alderney’s waters. Submarine power cablesneed to incorporate fibre optic cables to monitor performance, which gives an excess capacity that can be used for high-speed communications. Alderney would receive rent of around £70,000 per annum for the facilities they provide together with a possible reduction in electricity prices paid by consumers.
Planning problems
Unresolved conflicts about the appropriateness of this project to the island resulted in the delaying of controversial planning law changes in 2016. The unprecedented change of law would open the area known as the "Green Belt" to industrial utility development, granting FAB Link permission to lay cables across a rural part of Alderney. The retention of the preservation laws would result in the cables having to by-pass Alderney altogether.
Controversy
Some Alderney residents believe the character of Alderney would be ruined, damaging the island's seasonal tourism industry; protest demonstrations took place in 2016 and in July 2017 to this end. Others believe the link will assist future tidal turbine projects and financially benefit construction and energy production contractors.