Enemalta contracts Norwegian company to start work on interconnector

Swedish-based survey company MMT has been contracted by Nexans Norway AS to carry out a pre-engineering marine survey of an 80 metre wide corridor between Qalet Marku in Malta and Marina di Ragusa in Sicily. The survey operation will be conducted by 56 meter vessel M/V Franklin'.

The M/V Franklin is fully equipped to perform marine surveys at depths of between 10 and 2000 meters.

MMT said that the survey set-up aboard the vessel is optimal for the proposed survey area with a maximum water depth of 157meters.

The 'Franklin' will conduct all aspects of the offshore survey including the geophysical survey, geotechnical sampling and habitat mapping using a Sub-Bottom Profiler, Side Scan Sonar, GNSS RTG, ROTV, Multibeam Echo Sounder EM3002 and EM710. The geotechnical sampling and habitat mapping will be conducted using a gravity corer and ROV.
Enemalta Corporation owns the 100 km project for the HVAC Malta - Sicily Submarine Electrical Interconnector.

This electrical interconnector has a nominal capacity of 200 MW and is designed to provide Malta with its first power interconnection with mainland Europe.

The interconnector will reduce the island's reliance on local power generation and increase the security of electrical power supply.

Nexans Norway AS has been awarded this turnkey contract which is commissioned by Enemalta Corporation.

The interconnector will be operational in 2013. The 220 kV interconnector will ensure that no less than 200 MW is continuously delivered to the all receiving ends in order to facilitate the import and export of power between Malta and Sicily.

The subsea cable will run 100 km from Qalet-Marku in Malta to Marina di Ragusa on the coast of Sicily.
MMT has a long history of working with subsea high voltage cables and said on its website that it looks forward to working with Nexans "in this exciting and progressive project."