The Biscay Gulf Electrical Interconnection (BGE) consists of the construction of a 2 000 MW link. This link is composed of two (2) circuits rated 1 000 MW each for DC operating voltage of 400 kV, in total comprised of four (4) power cables, four (4) converter station terminals located close to 400 kV Gatica substation (Spain) and Cubnezais substation (France). The length of the route is estimated to be approximately 400 km long starting in Spanish País Vasco region (near Bilbao) to an ending point in Nouvelle Aquitaine (Gironde department, near Bordeaux). The interconnection is composed of underground cables with total approximate route length of 115 km and submarine cables with total approximate route length of 285 km.
The ‘BGE’ is a joint project developed by INELFE on behalf of Réseau Transport d’Electricité (RTE) and Red Eléctrica de España (REE) respectively the transmission system operators in France and Spain.
The project is supported by the European Union’s Connecting Europe.
Terrestrial Civil Works designated for the installation of four (4) power cables ducts plus optic fiber cables ducts of a total underground cable route length of approximately 15 km in Spanish side (landfall works excluded) and 100 km in French side (landfall works excluded).
The scope includes the design (including detail design), engineering, procurement and construction (including trenchless solution to cross Dordogne and Garonne rivers in France and smaller sections in Spain). The lengths given are approximate and may be varied for route adjustments.
The applicants must note that to perform the works, the economic operator must be qualified for the referenced type of works in the RTE qualification system or in the REE qualification system. For the execution the works in the territory where the applicant is not qualified, the applicant shall entirely subcontract to qualified subcontractor(s) related to the relevant territory (Spain or France respectively). This qualification is required for the applicant at time of request to participate and shall be maintained valid until the completion of works.
Further detail of the scope of the contract shall be provided in the Invitation to Tender (ITT) documents.
The contracting entity will be INELFE in its name and on behalf of REE and RTE as a central purchasing body.