The IFA2 project sending power between Fareham and France gears up to be tested next month

The IFA2 project has involved running a 149-mile-long power cable along the sea bed between Monks Hill Beach, in Hill Head, and Normandy in France.

Now, the National Grid is heralding the project as being completed on time and on budget as it gets ready to test a live current through the undersea cables, with tests ongoing through out November.

IFA2 is expected to deliver 1.2 per cent of Britain’s electricity needs by 2024, enough to power up to one million homes with zero carbon energy.

Jon Butterworth, CEO of National Grid Ventures, said: ‘While the world is focused on the pandemic and managing the knock-on effects on our lives, we know that progress towards net zero can’t afford to falter and Britain needs to keep up the momentum in reducing harmful carbon emissions.

‘The launch of the IFA2 interconnector, linking France and Britain’s power grids, is an important step in accelerating our progress to a cleaner, greener future.’

By the end of its first year in operation, IFA2 will have helped avoid 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, equivalent to planting 50 million trees, thanks to it sharing renewable energy with the continent.

The project will leave ‘a lasting legacy’ across the UK and Fareham, home to a new converter station at Solent Airport and substation in Chilling Lane, according to David Luetchford, the project’s director.

READ NEXT: Portsmouth council comes under fire over 'lack of democracy' on Pyramids decision

He said: ‘We have worked really to reduce the size of the converter, and we ensured we were only working in the summer in (Chilling Lane) so as to not disturb geese in the area.

‘There’s a huge list of things we have done to minimise the impact of the project in the local community.’

Residents around Hill Head and across Fareham had voiced a number of concerns about the project, ranging from traffic disruption during construction works to low level noise pollution from the cables themselves.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

Thank you for reading this story.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on our advertisers and thus our revenues.

The News is more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism.

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to Portsmouth news and information online.

Every subscription helps us continue providing trusted, local journalism and campaign on your behalf for our city.