Technical document:

Project Description
French section

April 2013
Nemo Link–
Electrical interconnector between
United Kingdom and Belgium
French section

Technical document: Project

Description
Prepared for
Elia Asset NV

Siège Social CREOCEAN

Zone Technocéan / Chef de Baie
Rue Charles Tellier
17000 La Rochelle - France
Tél : 05.46.41.13.13
Fax : 05.46.50.51.02

e-mail : creocean@creocean.fr
web : www.creocean.fr

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 1

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 1
Table of contents
1.  Location and footprint of the project ............................................................................ 1 
1.1.  Project overview ..................................................................................................................... 1 
1.2.  Cable route ............................................................................................................................ 2 
1.3.  Footprint of the project in French Waters.................................................................................... 7 
1.4.  Installation programme ........................................................................................................... 8 
1.4.1.  Schedule of the works ..................................................................................................................................8 
1.4.2.  Commissioning date .....................................................................................................................................9 

2.  Technical description of the project ............................................................................ 10 

2.1.  Outline description of cable system ......................................................................................... 10 
2.2.  Offshore cable installation ...................................................................................................... 11 
2.2.1.  Cable route preparation (Pre-lay) ................................................................................................................ 11 
2.2.2.  Cable laying operation ................................................................................................................................ 16 
2.2.3.  Burial of the cable...................................................................................................................................... 16 
2.2.4.  Cable joints............................................................................................................................................... 18 
2.2.5.  Cable crossings ......................................................................................................................................... 18 
2.2.6.  Post-burial of the cable............................................................................................................................... 18 
2.3.  Cable operation .................................................................................................................... 20 
2.3.1.  Maintenance ............................................................................................................................................. 20 
2.3.2.  Retrieval of buried cable ............................................................................................................................. 24 
2.4.  Marine equipment for the operations ....................................................................................... 24 
2.4.1.  Laying operation ........................................................................................................................................ 24 
2.4.2.  Maintenance ............................................................................................................................................. 26 
2.4.3.  End of Life Retrieval of the Cable ................................................................................................................. 26 

3.  Provisions to ensure the safety of shipping and to prevent navigational accidents ............. 27 
3.1.  Signs and securing the working mobile area ............................................................................. 27 
3.1.1.  Temporary precautionary mobile zone .......................................................................................................... 27 
3.1.2.  Accompanying Vessel ................................................................................................................................. 27 
3.1.3.  Signs ....................................................................................................................................................... 27 
3.2.  Cooperation with monitoring traffic services in the Channel ......................................................... 28 
3.3.  Broadcast Notice to Mariners .................................................................................................. 28 
3.4.  Emergency Coordination Plan (ERCoP) ..................................................................................... 28 
3.5.  Cable protection ................................................................................................................... 29 
3.6.  Risk of cable exposure ........................................................................................................... 29 
3.7.  Geomagnetic interference ...................................................................................................... 29 
3.8.  Discovery of munitions or explosives ....................................................................................... 29 
4. 30 

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 2

List of Figures
Figure 1.1.1 Schematic overview of the HVDC interconnector between the Belgium
and the United Kingdom
Figure 1.2.1 Cable route
Figure 1.2.2 NEMO marine cable route in French waters
Figure 1.4.1 Schedule for the marine operations of the project
Figure 2.1.1 Cable description
Figure 2.2.1 Grapnel
Figure 2.2.2 Trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHD)
Figure 2.2.3 Identified areas for pre-sweeping operation
Figure 2.2.4 Laying of the cable
Figure 2.2.5 Example of burial ploughs: grapnel plough and jetting plough
Figure 2.2.6 Cable crossing over buried/semi buried infrastructure
Figure 2.4.1 Laying and burial of the cable carried out by two vessels in convoy

List of Tables
Table 1.2.1 Turning points (A/C) on the cable route in French waters
Table 1.2.2 Cable route in French waters
Table 1.2.3 500 m cable route corridor in French waters
Table 1.3.1 Footprint of the project
Table 2.2.1 Identified areas for pre-sweeping operation
Table 2.3.1 Electric and magnetic fields from BritNed

Abrreviations
M Mile
KP Kilometric Point
EEZ Exclusive Economique Zone
A/C Alter Course
TSHD Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger
CM Cote marine = Seashore
OMI Organisation Maritime Internationale
MCA Maritime and Coastguard Agency
CROSS Centre Régional opérationnel de surveillance et de sauvetage
(=Regional Operational Centre for Surveillance and Rescue)
CNIS Channel Navigation Information Service
RIPAM Règlement international pour prévenir les abordages en mer
(=International Regulations for Preventing Boarding)
ColReg Collision Regulation
HSE Health-Safety – Environment
ERCoP Emergency Response Cooperation Plan
MARPOL Maritime Pollution
SHOM Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la marine
(=Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Navy)
UKHO United Kingdom Hydrographic Office
VHF Very High Frequency

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 3

1. Location and footprint of the project
1.1. Project overview

The NEMO project, led by National Grid Nemo Link Ltd and Elia Asset SA, consists of the installation
of a subsea power cable crossing the North Sea between the United Kingdom and Belgium. This
interconnector is designed to connect the two high voltage grid systems in order to increase market
liquidity and support security of supply both in Britain and Belgium.

The electrical interconnector capacity will be between 700 and 1300 MW. The High Voltage Direct
Current (HVDC) interconnector is made up of two high voltage conductors of opposite polarity, and
operates as a unique conductor. The use of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) provides the most
efficient and effective means of transporting electricity over this distance.

The interconnector consists of two main parts: a submarine "offshore" part and an "onshore" part on
the land or landfall (Figure 1.1.1). The two ends of the cables are connected to a high voltage
converter station for converting direct current / alternating current (AC / DC) and for the connection
to the high voltage grid system 380 kV. The conversion is performed by the semiconductor
components of power electronics.

Schematic overview of the

HVDC interconnector between
Belgium and the United
Kingdom

Figure 1.1.1: Schematic overview of the HVDC interconnector between Belgium and the United Kingdom

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 1

1.2. Cable route

The entire route is derived from preliminary cable route engineering, with the survey shown in
Figure 1.2.1; and the list of kilometric points of the cable route provided in Table 1.2.1:

Turning point KP Long Lat Easting Northing Depth. Cap Purpose

WGS 84 WGS 84 UTM31N UTM31N (m CM)
0 Landing in Belgium
West Zeebrugge 3.1670 51.3258 511641 5686073
ALTERCOURSE 1.6 3.1469 51.3335 510232 5686924 -6.0 273°
4.5 -8.0 Avoid a wreck
ALTERCOURSE 3.1060 51.3353 507385 5687119 273°
12.1 -10.6 Avoid a wreck
ALTERCOURSE 3.0581 51.3379 504047 5687405 272°
17.7 -15.2 Avoid wrecks/landmine area
ALTERCOURSE 2.9976 51.3416 499833 5687813 271°
19.5 -16.6 Avoid a known wreck location
ALTERCOURSE 2.9165 51.3444 494188 5688127 278°
24.3 -21.7 Crossing C-POWERcable
ALTERCOURSE 2.8920 51.3480 492478 5688535 278°
ALTERCOURSE 28.1 2.8253 51.3580 487839 5689651 -25.1 263°
Crossing Hermes South cable
ALTERCOURSE 30.1 2.7718 51.3516 484105 5688952 -25.7 255°
ALTERCOURSE 32.5 2.7449 51.3442 482234 5688135 -21.5 271° Keep distance of 250 m from cable Pan
32.8 -16.8 European Crossing et Hermes2
ALTERCOURSE 2.7107 51.3449 479849 5688216 274°
42.8 -32.0 Keep distance 250 m from cable PEC
ALTERCOURSE 2.7064 51.3451 479549 5688248 272°
ALTERCOURSE 43.4 2.5634 51.3505 469593 5688899 -30.7 284°
ALTERCOURSE 45.1 2.5557 51.3524 469060 5689111 -28.9 312°
Crossing Tangerine cable
ALTERCOURSE 46.0 2.5411 51.3653 468054 5690553 -29.5 286°
ALTERCOURSE 48.0 2.5364 51.3667 467728 5690702 -33.6 286°
48.0 -32.1 Crossing pipe FRANPIPE and cables
ALTERCOURSE 2.4600 51.3570 462402 5689659 270° Tangerine and Rioja 2
ALTERCOURSE 50.0 2.4405 51.3571 461041 5689684 -33.3 256°
ALTERCOURSE 51.1 2.4367 51.3562 460780 5689583 -35.4 232° Avoid known wreck locations Crossing
52.5 -35.1 FRANPIPE
ALTERCOURSE 2.4322 51.3526 460459 5689193 256°
52.8 -35.4 Keep distance 250 m from Tangerine
ALTERCOURSE 2.2863 51.3152 450262 5685120 264°
ALTERCOURSE 53.3 2.2714 51.3137 449222 5684962 -26.8 277° Crossing cables TAT14 and UK-Belgium
64.2 -33.8 3
ALTERCOURSE 2.2226 51.3196 445828 5685657 277°
65.3 -37.1 Keep distance 250 m of Tangerine
ALTERCOURSE 2.1721 51.3259 442316 5686390 270°
ALTERCOURSE 68.8 2.0111 51.3253 431094 5686470 -29.8 270°
ALTERCOURSE 72.4 1.9596 51.3252 427506 5686501 -37.1 271°
Crossing UK-Belgium 5 cable
ALTERCOURSE 94.1 1.8600 51.3276 420570 5686870 -40.3 269°
ALTERCOURSE 96.8 1.8216 51.3272 417893 5686869 -40.3 270°
Crossing AC1 cable
ALTERCOURSE 103.5 1.7255 51.3269 411202 5686950 -46.3 273°
ALTERCOURSE 107.3 1.6712 51.3301 407423 5687369 -36.2 262° Avoid a steep crest

ALTERCOURSE 107.6 1.6665 51.3295 407098 5687306 -29.1 248°

Avoid a Sabelleria reef
ALTERCOURSE 108.2 1.6600 51.3268 406634 5687018 -26.4 264°
ALTERCOURSE 112.3 1.6016 51.3209 402558 5686435 -21.0 269°
116.2 -8.6 Avoid a sandbank
ALTERCOURSE 1.5453 51.3201 398629 5686430 257°
ALTERCOURSE 118.7 1.5111 51.3122 396231 5685592 -13.8 263°
ALTERCOURSE 121.2 1.4766 51.3078 393814 5685152 -12.9 266°
123.0 -8.8 Avoid a damaged area
ALTERCOURSE 1.4509 51.3059 392021 5684987 275°
ALTERCOURSE 123.7 1.4404 51.3064 391290 5685050 -9.5 285°
ALTERCOURSE 127.3 1.3937 51.3187 388066 5686486 -2.1 283°
ALTERCOURSE 128.2 1.3814 51.3216 387212 5686831 -0.5 279° Keep distance of 250 m from the
129.2 Thanet windfarm cable
ALTERCOURSE 1.3651 51.3248 386089 5687211 297°
129.4 Landing in the United Kingdom
Richborough 1.3647 51.3249 386059 5687234

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 2

The offshore section is approximately 130 km, of which 23 km is in French waters, exclusively
in the marine area, so without any landing on French territory.

The French section is located roughly between PK59 and PK83 (counted from Zeebrugge, Belgium -
cf. Figure 1.2.2).

Based on the results of the survey, the defined cable route on which the impacts can be studied, is
as follows:

Table 1.2.2: Cable route in French waters

PK Latitude N  Longitude E  X  Y  Depth (m) 
60  2,343°  51,330°  454207  5686696  ‐38,1 
61  2,329°  51,326°  453279  5686325  ‐36,8 
62  2,316°  51,323°  452350  5685954  ‐35,9 
63  2,303°  51,319°  451421  5685583  ‐35,3 
64  2,290°  51,316°  450493  5685212  ‐29,3 
65  2,276°  51,314°  449519  5685007  ‐34,0 
66  2,262°  51,315°  448537  5685103  ‐35,9 
67  2,247°  51,317°  447557  5685303  ‐36,4 
68  2,233°  51,318°  446577  5685503  ‐37,2 
69  2,219°  51,320°  445598  5685705  ‐36,9 
70  2,205°  51,322°  444619  5685909  ‐34,7 
71  2,191°  51,324°  443640  5686114  ‐31,5 
72  2,177°  51,325°  442661  5686318  ‐30,1 
73  2,163°  51,326°  441668  5686395  ‐30,2 
74  2,148°  51,326°  440668  5686402  ‐31,8 
75  2,134°  51,326°  439668  5686409  ‐35,0 
76  2,120°  51,326°  438668  5686416  ‐33,8 
77  2,105°  51,326°  437668  5686423  ‐28,9 
78  2,091°  51,326°  436668  5686430  ‐39,1 
79  2,077°  51,326°  435668  5686437  ‐38,3 
80  2,062°  51,326°  434669  5686444  ‐37,2 
81  2,048°  51,325°  433669  5686451  ‐38,4 
82  2,034°  51,325°  432669  5686459  ‐39,2 
83  2,019°  51,325°  431669  5686466  ‐31,2 

This route is not fixed; the project partners wish to maintain the ability to lay the cable within the
500 m corridor defined rather than the central route. Because of the presence of mobile features
such as sand waves, the subsea morphology is likely to change following cable installation.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 4

 Table 1.2.3: 500 m cable route Corridor in French waters
Longitude Est   Latitude Nord 
ID
Lon_DD  Lat_DD  X_UTM31(m)  Y_UTM31(m) 
141  2,277669  51,312801  449656  5684850 
142  2,276809  51,3125  449596  5684820 
143  2,27195  51,3115  449256  5684720 
144  2,27091  51,3115  449183  5684720 
145  2,24639  51,314498  447478  5685060 
146  2,17331  51,323398  442396  5686120 
147  2,17158  51,3236  442276  5686140 
148  2,06252  51,323398  434676  5686200 
149  2,05448  51,323398  434116  5686210 
150  2,04501  51,3232  433456  5686200 
151  2,044719  51,323398  433436  5686220 
152  2,02672  51,3232  432181  5686210 
153  2,030649  51,327701  432462  5686710 
154  2,172349  51,328098  442335  5686640 
155  2,27148  51,316001  449229  5685220 
156  2,274189  51,316699  449418  5685300 
157  2,29355  51,321399  450772  5685810 
158  2,35471  51,337001  455050  5687500 
159  2,35553  51,335399  455105  5687320 
160  2,35698  51,332599  455203  5687010 

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 5

1.3. Footprint of the project in French Waters

The project includes several phases to cover the whole life of the project:

 The installation of the electrical interconnector (cable laying)

 The operation and maintenance (monitoring of the burial of the cable, any required repairs
etc.)
 The decommissionning activity at the end of life of the cable, including the dismantling
operation and the reconditioning of the site.

The technical information for these activities is described in the following Section 2.

The footprint of the marine offshore work in the French section of the cable route is described
below:

Table 1.3.1: Footprint of the project

Activity Surface area
Marine cable Clearance of a corridor of 100 m to each side of the defined cable route in
route order to remove the seabed debris and ensure the passage of the machines
preparation used for laying the cable.
The maximum surface area taken by the grapnel or the ROV on the seabed is
10 m.
On the sea surface, the required area for vessels is 500 m radius.
Cable laying On the seabed:
 The cable will be buried to a target depth of circa 2 -3m. Based on
current burial technology it is estimated that the maximum footprint of
the burial machine will be 10 m and the footprint of the trench will be
between 1 – 5 m.
 Pre-sweeping path width will vary depending on the shape and size of
each feature but may be 10 m to 20 m.

On the sea surface:

 Typically, a large Cable Lay Vessel (CLV) will be up to 150 m in length
and will sit within a 500 m radius precautionary zone. If the lay vessel is
closely trailed by a burial vessel, the precautionary zones may link
together creating a single zone increased from 500 m to 1000 m.
 If the CLV is required to work in a static position and use anchors, this
radius increases up to 2000 m.
Operation and The precautionary zone for a Cable Lay Vessel carrying out repairs on the
maintenance cables is 2000 m.
Decommissioning As for the laying cable installation, the precautionary zone around the vessel is
500 m to 1000 m

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 7

1.4. Installation programme

1.4.1. Schedule of the works

Cable installation schedules are dependent on a number of factors such as the delivery and
availability of the cable and the availability of the installation contractor.

The Project route is relatively straightforward with approximately 20 km of shallow water (< 10 m
CM) on the United Kingdom side, a deep water (> 10 m CM) section of some 100 km (that crosses
UK, French and Belgian waters) and a shallow water section at the Belgian end of approximately 10
km.

Figure 1.4.1 below provides an indication of the installation programme for the marine aspects of
the project, including a splitting of the works for the shallow water and deep water, and also for the
work scheduled within the UK waters and the French-Belgium waters.

Month
Activity Description 1 2 3 4 5

C1a UK
Route clearance, laying and
shore end
post lay burial of cable
installation
C1b Belgian
Route clearance, laying and
shore end
post lay burial of cable
installation
Pre-sweeping of sand
C2 Offshore
waves, route clearance,
installation
cable jointing, simultaneous
UK
lay and burial of cable
Pre-sweeping of sand
C3 Offshore
waves, route clearance,
installation
cable jointing,
France and
simultaneous lay and
Belgium
burial of cable

Figure 1.4.1: Programme for the marine operation of the project

The programme for the commencement of installation has not yet been agreed but it is likely that
installation will begin in 2016 at the earliest.

In general, installations in European waters are undertaken in the summer season, broadly between
April and October. This period is determined primarily by the high probability of adverse weather
occurring outside of this period. The schedule will also be affected by factors such as the potential
requirement for ecological mitigation, and the availability of vessels.

Installation work in the intertidal areas in the UK and Belgium is expected to take less than one
week.

It is expected that up to five marine cable joints will be required for the entire cable system and
each jointing operation will take approximately five days.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 8

1.4.2. Commissioning date

Installation work is expected to be completed in 2018.

The commissioning date has not yet been defined.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 9

2. Technical description of the project

2.1. Outline description of cable system

The chosen cable system will be a bipolar high voltage direct current (HVDC) system with a voltage
of 300 kV or 500 kV, depending on the model. The size of this type of cable is about 12 cm.
To ensure the bidirectional interconnector, two cables are required (one positive, one negative).
They will be connected in the same sheath (model XLPE) or placed alongside each other (MI cable).

A – Mass Impregnated cable (cable MI  up to 500 kV)

B – Cable XLPE (up to 300 kV)

Figure 2.1.1: Cable desciption

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 10

  The XLPE cable technology consists of a specific insulation. This insulation is layered over a
copper or aluminium conductor and is covered with a water tight sheath, usually made of
seamless lead for submarine cables, and a further protective plastic coating.
Cables intended for the Nemo Link, and more generally for submarine use, have an additional
layer of galvanised steel wire armour to increase the cable’s tensile strength so it can better
withstand the stresses of submarine installation. This is usually a single layer of wires, wound
around the cable and covered in a sleeve of bitumen-impregnated polypropylene yarn to
inhibit corrosion. In high activity areas or rocky seabeds, this armour may be made with a
double layer.

 MI type cable is a proven technology and has been widely used on major interconnector
projects in service to date. This MI cable is made of a stranded type single copper core cable
that has paper insulation impregnated with high viscosity mineral oil. This cable type is not
pressurised like a fluid (low viscosity oil) filled cable and therefore contains no free oil to leak
out in the event of a cable sheath rupture.

The armour consists of one or two layers of galvanised steel armour wires, which are applied
in a helix to provide mechanical strength during cable handling and installation and
protection from external damage. The armour wires are bedded into a layer of bituminised
jute strings and a layer of polypropylene string is applied over them to bind them which
provides abrasion resistance and improves handling.

These two cables technologies, XLPE and MI, guarantee that no oil can leak into the marine
environment in case of cable rupture.

For the proposed 1000 MW Nemo Link, the most likely cable configuration, or project "base case" is
a bipolar HVDC system, with a pair of MI cables bundled together in the same trench.
However, depending upon installation technology available, there is a slight possibility that the
cables could be installed in separate trenches.

The cable, with its protective armour of a single or double layer, will be buried to an average depth
of circa 2 -3 m, where possible.

2.2. Offshore cable installation

The cable installation on the French section has no onshore landing, so only offshore operations will
be required.

2.2.1. Cable route preparation (Pre-lay)

Prior to the cable operation, three different activities are required to ensure the passage of the burial
machine:
 Cable route clearance of any seabed debris or out-of-service telecommunications cables using
a grapnel.
 Seabed route preparation to ensure the good burial of the cables in mobile seabed.
 Cable route preparation for the crossing with other cables and set up of protective mast.

2.2.1.1. Cable route clearance

Prior to the start of marine operation, it is essential to ensure the cable route is clear of obstructions
that may hinder the operation.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 11

Seabed debris such as scrap trawler warps or ships’ crane wires that may have been jettisoned by
vessels onto the seabed, abandoned communications cables and other debris can be detrimental to
the burial machine. Before the start of cable laying operations the cable route shall be cleared of any
obstruction identified during the survey.

To clear the route of detected and any undetected debris, a small vessel will be mobilised to remove
them during an operation known as a ‘pre-lay grapnel run’ (PLGR).

Cable installation may be carried out in a number of campaigns, the length of which is related to the
cable carrying capacity of the main lay vessel. The PLGR operation may be phased to ensure that
the route is clear of any recently dumped debris before each campaign.

Out of service communications cables on the Nemo Link cable route will be pulled up with the
grapnel and cut at a length of 100 m around the cable route.

Figure 2.2.1: grapnel

The PLGR vessel tows a wire with a specially designed grapnel, along the centreline of the cable
route until it encounters debris. The tow winch is fitted with a strain gauge which will detect the rise
in tension as an object is hooked. Most old cables and scrap wires are normally found on, or just
below, the seabed. The PLGR grapnel will be designed to penetrate the seabed to a depth of
approximately 1 m.

Any debris encountered will be recovered to the deck of the vessel for appropriate licensed disposal
ashore. Should any unexploded ordnance be discovered during this process, a registered Explosives
and Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialist will be available during the installation process to identify
any suspicious items and provide advice on the appropriate remediation.

The vessel will cut out the abandoned communications cables and recover a section of the cable to
open a gap of 100 m through which the burial machine can pass. The two cut ends of the cable at
either side of the gap will be fitted with weights to secure them against movement before they are
returned to the seabed.

2.2.1.2. Route preparation (Pre-sweeping)

Results of the geotechnical survey show that the seabed is mobile (sandbanks) in the french section
of the cable route. In such conditions, it is not necessary to set up a trench prior to the cable laying
operation (burial during the cable laying operation).

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 12

The sandbanks are shaped in sand waves which make the burial of the cable difficult, especially with
regards to maintaining the depth of cable burial during construction.

Pre-sweeping by dredging is used to reduce the height of the sandwaves along the cables route and
produce a flatter path for the installation equipment to move along. This also allows for greater
control of the burial depth of the cables. It also makes the protection afforded by burial more
resistant to sandwave mobility and therefore more durable over time.

This pre-sweeping operation will be undertaken just a few days in advance of cable laying operations
to ensure the dredged path remains open for the installation to take place. The pre-sweeping is
carried out by trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHD) that move the sand aside, shave off the crest
lines of sandwaves and create a flatter path for a burial machine to move along. This method has
been used for the cable laying operation of BritNed power cable between UK and the Netherlands.

The extracted spoil volumes resulting from pre-sweeping are typical of dredging operations for
channel or port maintenance and therefore are relatively small. It is assumed that the spoil will be
re-deposited onto the seabed in the immediate vicinity of the pre-sweeping activity. Consequently
there is no spoil extraction from the marine environment.

Figure 2.2.2: trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHD)

Path width will vary depending on the shape and size of each particular seabed encounter; the
maximum width planned for the trench is 20 m to a depth of 2 m, and with seabed slopes of 10 m
width at each side of the trench.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 13

To reduce transport costs of the spoil volumes (compared to a standard storage site) and promote
the rehabilitation of the natural site (without permanently removing the sand), it is preferable that
the dredged sand is deposited 1.5 km upstream from the current, and the operation takes place only
a few days before the cable laying operation.

The sections planned to be levelled by dredging (pre-sweeping) were identified following the
bathymetric survey and a particular exercise has been carried out to calculate the corresponding
volumes to be dredged. This concerns only the sandbank crests and sand waves along the cable
route.

On the French section of the cable route, several areas of sand waves have been identified (Figure
2.2.3). Slopes have been measured and no deflection of the cable route is necessary. However four
areas suitable for pre-sweeping operations have been identified; they are located at the crossing of
the North of South Sandettié bench and South of Fairy bench.

Table 2.2.1: Identified areas for pre-sweeping operation

Volume
KP Latitude N Longitude E X Y (m3) Objective
63-65.4 51.31693 2.28503 450 174 5 685 316 21 330 Protect the cable against 
69.2- 73.6 51.32437 2.18433 443 165 5 686 213 60 249
74.5 – 77.5 51.32572 2.11854 438 583 5 686 417 32 614
the mobility of the sand 
82.3 - 87 51.32529 1.99369 429 883 5 686 480 24 470 waves.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 14

2.2.2. Cable laying operation

The Cable Laying Vessel carries out the transportation and installation of the cable, uncoiling the
cable along the route. Depending on the carrying capacity of the CLV and the total length of the
project (100 km offshore cable), several successive campaigns will be necessary. It is expected that
the cable route requires five connections (cable joints); these locations have not yet been
determined.

There are three options for the cable installation depending on the type of cable chosen (two cables
together in the same duct or two separate cables), requiring the creation of one or two trenches
(see Figure 2.2.4).

2.2.3. Burial of the cable

The cables will be buried into the seabed either by a plough or trenching machine deployed by the
main cable laying vessel directly or by a support vessel following behind. Ploughs are towed
machines generally used for simultaneous lay and burial operations where the cable vessel controls
cable laying speed to match plough performance and residual tension targets.

In sandy materials, the plough opens the trench where the cable is layed, and then the trench will
be closed naturally by gravity or leveled by the plough, almost simultaneously. Another burial
technique can be used; the water injection plough (jetting machine), which injects water under high
pressure to destabilise the sediment layer and enable natural burial of the cable by gravity. The
layer of sediment redeposits on the top and then recompacts naturally. This method is efficient in
sandbanks because it requires less tension on the cable plough than a classic plough for the same
burial depth. However, the jetting machine generates more turbidity than a burial trench and the
width of the area depends on the burial depth planned.

The following photos illustrate the two types of ploughs, which could be used in the French section:

a
Figure 2.2.5: Example of burial ploughs: grapnel plough and jetting plough

Figure 2.2.4: Laying of the cable (from ARCADIS, 2011)

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 16

 Width of
the
trench

Burial depth
1 to 3 m

A – Laying of a double cable in a same trench (<1 m width)

Width of the trench <2,5 m

Burial depth
1 to 3 m

B- Laying of two cables in two close trenches (maximum distance of 2,5 m)

Space between the two trenches > 50 m

Burial depth
1 to 3 m

C- Laying of two cables inside two separated trenches with a maximum space of 50 m

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 17

2.2.4. Cable joints

As a cable laying vessel or barge cannot carry the entire quantity of cable required for the marine
cable route, it will be necessary to install the cable in several sections. Joints will be required to join
each section of cable. Cable joints will be made on board the cable lay vessel or barge and will take
up to a week to complete. During this time the vessel is likely to anchor to maintain position. Once
the cable joint has been made on board the vessel, the cable lay will continue as normal.

It is expected that up to five offshore joints will be required for the whole offshore cable of the Nemo
Link.

2.2.5. Cable crossings

Crossing of cables require crossing agreements to be in place between the developer and the cable
owners. These agreements detail the physical design of the crossing, the protective measures
utilised (according to the requirements of the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC)), and
also outline the rights and responsibilities of both parties to ensure the ongoing integrity of the
assets.

Indicative diagrams of typical methods of cable crossing are shown in Figure 2.2.6. The footprint of
cable crossings will be circa 100 m (rock or concrete mattress along the Nemo Interconnector cable)
by 30 m (width of bridge over existing cable).

N.B.: if the set up of rocks is required to protect the buried cable, a specific request will be made to
the administration including an environmental impact assessment.

Along the French section of the cable route, the Nemo Link cable will cross no cable or pipeline
in service, so no protective crossing is needed.

2.2.6. Post-burial of the cable

In the section where the cable is not buried during the cable laying operation (cable crossing or
cable joint for instance), a post burial of the cable should be necessary after the cable laying
operation or few days later.

No cable crossing is planned in French waters and the position of the offshore joints is not known at
this time.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 18

 Figure 2.2.6: Cable crossing over buried/semi buried infrastructure-
(PMSS, 2011 coming from METOC, 2004)

Pipeline Pre-cable lay rock

or cable Placement (bridge)

NEMO
Limit of jet cable
burial (graded
out) Post-cable lay rock
placement for the cable
stabilisation and
protection

Top section

Cross Section

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 19

2.3. Cable operation

2.3.1. Maintenance

Following installation, routine maintenance work to the cables is not anticipated. However, some
work may be required to maintain the burial of the cable to protect it from adverse interactions with
other sea users and marine processes which might damage it. The cable and its installation will be
designed to minimise any maintenance requirements.

2.3.1.1. In-service survey operation

Routine survey of a correctly installed and protected marine cable is not normally required as the
subsea cables will be designed to require minimum maintenance. However, in areas of high seabed
mobility, or if post-installation changes in the natural or manmade environment are perceived to
have occurred, a survey of specific areas of the Nemo Link cables may be initiated. The same applies
to the cable crossings, where a regular survey may also be a requirement to identify the cable
exposures or spanning.

The survey will be carried out from a survey vessel using side-scan sonar (SSS) and ROV deployed
instruments, such as cable trackers and video cameras, to ensure that the cable is properly buried
and protected, especially at the crossing areas.

2.3.1.2. Cable repairs

Even if the cable is buried for the entire cable route, damage caused by third parties such as
trawlers or commercial ships' anchors could appear and require a specific repair.

Typically the phases of a repair operation are as follows:

 Loading of spare cable to the repair vessel (coming from the spare part depot in a
nearby harbour, or directly from the manufacturer). The length of the cable is
required to be at least three times the depth of the water where the damage has
been located (dependent on the length of the damage along the cable whereby
longer damaged sections will require more cable upon repair);
 Location of the damage;
 Cable retrieval (using a grapnel);
 Cable recovery to the surface;
 Repair of the cables at the junction with the new cable; and
 Re-deployment onto the seabed and re-burial. As an additional cable length has
been laid, the repaired cable cannot be returned exactly to its previous position
and alignment on the seabed. The excess of cable then forms a loop on the
seabed which will be reburied by jetting.

A cable repair operation will be expected to have a duration of several weeks or months, depending
on the type and extent of damage and operational constraints.

The details of repair (date, cause of failure, added cable length, position loop repair, vessel used
etc.) will be recorded in the maintenance log book.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 20

2.3.1.3. Emission from operating cable

There are a number of emissions which may occur to varying degrees during installation or
operation of the interconnector. Such emissions include:

 electric and magnetic fields;

 heat;
 noise;
 stray currents; and
 rise of earth potential (ROEP).

Electromagnetic Field (EMF)

The geo-magnetic field forms the background that man-made magnetic fields interact with and
against which they can be assessed. A desk study undertaken specifically for the BritNed
interconnector estimated the geo-magnetic field in the vicinity of the marine section of the cables to
be approximately 48 µT (Swedpower, 2003a). This is assumed to be similar to that for the Nemo
Link. This is supported by data from the world magnetic model.

The geo-magnetic field is thought to play a part in the navigation of marine fauna and is also used
by man to navigate, by the use of the magnetic compass. The magnetic field has both magnitude
and direction, which vary from place to place. Ships’ compasses are adjusted to compensate for the
difference between magnetic and true north, the declination.

Electric fields are induced in the sea water as it passes through the geo-magnetic field. The
strength of these fields is dependent on the geo-magnetic field strength and also sea water
chemistry, viscosity and its flow velocity and direction relative to the lines of magnetic flux.

Naturally occurring induced electric fields have been estimated for the North Sea and have been
measured at 35 µV/cm (Pals et al., 1982). In 1974, Kalmijn estimated electric fields in the English
Channel to reach 25µV/cm twice a day. However, the strength of the electric field in the sea varies
continuously because of the varying speeds and directions of the water flow that are consequences
of the tides and weather conditions, but it is essentially a static field.

Magnetic fields associated with the marine cables

The cable will produce a static magnetic field with a low-level time-varying magnetic field
superimposed on to it.

The predicted line current on the Nemo Link produces a static magnetic field of a magnitude that is
substantially the same as the geo-magnetic field. In theory, a cable type called the Integrated
Return Conductor (IRC) will have a greatly diminished (or even no) magnetic field, as both
conductors are centred on the same axis of the cable. This type of cable may be considered ideal in
respect of its magnetic signature and has been used for a twin monopole HVDC link between
Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, the IRC cable type is not currently available for
transmitting the level of power proposed for the Nemo Link, which will use instead a bipole system
with two cables of opposite electrical polarity.

The Nemo Link cables will be installed in a bundled configuration, with nominal separation of 0.2 m.
The resultant magnetic fields will be very low due to mutual cancellation of the positive and negative
poles, and the time-varying component has been calculated to be insignificant.

Electric fields associated with marine cables

The HVDC voltage on the conductors of the Nemo Link cables produces a static electric field. The
marine environment is shielded from this electric field by the lead sheath and other external metallic

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 21

components of the cables, which are bonded to earth. For this reason, electric fields directly caused
by the cable conductor voltages external to the cable will be insignificant.

Very small electric fields are also produced in the water by the time-varying magnetic field resulting
from the electrical ‘noise’ on the cables. The effects of these low-level fields are not considered to
be significant.

The electric field produced in the cable’s magnetic field will also be influenced by the natural electric
field induced in the water by virtue of the earth’s magnetic field at the same location. It is not
possible to accurately describe the electric field strength at a given location without a full
understanding of the local environmental conditions. A study to estimate electric fields produced by
the BritNed (SwedPower, December 2003) cable system (a similar system to the Nemo Link) was
based on a maximal water flow parallel to a surface laid cable, which produces the greatest
induction, and ignores any interactions with natural fields. The magnetic field strength at the seabed
will be reduced for the buried cables.

Expected electric and magnetic fields from the Nemo Link following analysis have been confirmed as
similar to those from BritNed, which were modelled for several different cable configurations
(SwedPower, December 2003).

Electric field strength Magnetic field strength

Cable Configuration (µV/m) (µT)
1 m from 5 m from 1 m from 5 m from
cable cable cable cable
Bundled (0.2 m separation) 61 1.9 72 2.2
Separated (2 m separation) 260 18 310 21
Table 2.3.1: Electric and magnetic fields from BritNed.
Source: Swepower, December 2003

Note: The values above are calculated to be the maximum possible electric and magnetic fields to
be produced by BritNed. Calculations are based on a seawater current speed of 0.85 m/s, and a
cable electrical current of 1,320 A.

These results show that the electric and magnetic fields are significantly reduced by grouping cables
together (bundled cable): the magnetic field strength decreases to 0.5 μT to 8 m of the cables,
which represents only 1% of the intensity of the geo-magnetic field.
 This will be the "base case scenario” of the NEMO project.

2.3.1.4. Heat

In transporting DC electrical energy, losses occur as a consequence of the internal resistance in the
conductor. This resistance is proportional to the length of the cables and inversely proportional to
the cross-sectional area of the conductor (i.e. in this case the copper cable core). The energy that is
lost is converted primarily into heat.

Based on thermal resistivity data collected during the geotechnical survey of the cable route, a
calculation has been carried out to assess the impact of cable operation on the seabed temperature,
with the following assumptions: two bundled cables with a conductor cross-sectional area of
1440mm², buried at 2.5m and with a seabed temperature of 17°C in the summer and 5°C in the
winter.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 22

The calculations indicate the following:

 At a depth of 30 cm below the seabed, localised heating directly above the cables
amounts to a rise of 1.2°C,
 At a depth of 10 cm below the seabed, localised heating directly above the cables
amounts to a rise of 0.7°C,

The 2.5 m burial values detailed above could equate to a local rise in the seabed temperature in the
uppermost 30 cm of sediment to a maximum of 18.2°C in the summer and 6.2°C in the winter. This
heating effect would be much localised on the immediate area surrounding the buried cable and will
not affect the water temperature, especially because the seawater would be at background
temperatures very close to the seabed surface.

2.3.1.5. Noise

The noise during the offshore installation is emitted by the vessels and the operation of the
installation machines. The offshore spread will typically be moving at a rate of 300m/hour on a 24
hour basis; therefore the noise caused by the installation at any one location will generally be
transient and temporary. However, at joint locations the installation spread could be stationary for
between 1 and 2 weeks.

A study into the noise emitted during subsea power cable installation was commissioned by Cowrie
in 2003. During the installation of the cables at North Hoyle Offshore Wind Farm, measurements
were made of the noise levels created by trenching of cables into the seabed. Levels were recorded
at a range of 160 m from trenching using a hydrophone at 2 m depth. This was necessary because,
at the time the measurements were being made, the work was being undertaken in very shallow
water. The sound pressure level of this recording was 123 dB re 1 mPa. The trenching noise was
found to be a mixture of broadband noise, tonal machinery noise and transients which were
probably associated with rock breakage. It was noted at the time of the survey that the noise was
highly variable, and apparently dependent on the physical properties of the particular area of seabed
that was being cut at the time. Analysis of the data indicates that if a Transmission Loss of 22 log
(R) is assumed, a Source Level of 178 dB re 1 mPa @ 1 m results. Noise modelling undertaken
using this source then indicates that, for distances up to 5 km from the source, all of the
measurements are below 70 dBht (with one isolated exception), and hence below the level at which
a behavioural reaction would be expected. It is therefore expected that the impacts from cable
laying noise will not be significant.

Rise of earth potential (ROEP)

A rise of earth potential (ROEP) occurs when an electric current flows in the ground. The electric
potential is higher at the point where the current enters the ground, and decreases with distance
from that point. ROEP is usually caused by fault currents that may occur at the power converter
stations, power plants, or power lines: a fault current flowing through the structure of the station to
the point of ground. As the resistance of the soil is finished, the current injected at the point of
grounding produces a rising of potential relative to a reference point.

Faults on cables may occur when the insulation around the HV conductor fails due to internal
breakdown or damage from external sources, and most of the current flow generated returns to the
converter of the power station via the cable lead sheath and steel armouring (which are bonded to
the earth mat at the converter station). The remaining flow circulates in the water or soil at the fault
on the cable, where the seabed plays the role of earth.

Calculations show that the temporary rise in the converter station earth mat potential may reach
800 V (SwedPower, 2003b). However, for a member of the public to experience a shock it would be

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 23

necessary for him to physically “bridge” the distance from a location external to the converter
station and touch the earth mat (or connected apparatus). This is highly improbable, and therefore
the public would not be at risk from faults occurring on the buried sea or land cables that cause a
transient ROEP.

If the ROEP area extends over adjacent infrastructure, such as pipelines, voltages up to 230 V may
be transferred to the infrastructure. However, touch and step potentials will not prove harmful if the
minimum separation between cable and pipeline is maintained at greater than 1.7 m (KEMA, 2003).

2.3.2. Retrieval of buried cable

At the end of the cable’s life the decision may be to leave the cable in-situ or to remove the cable,
and the decommissioning operation will be conducted according to the standard industry protocol.

National Grid Nemo Link Ltd recognises the importance of considering the decommissioning process
at an early stage and, should decommissioning be undertaken, the operation will be conducted
according to the standard industry protocol at the agreed time. At the end of the cable’s life the
options for decommissioning will be evaluated. In some situations, the least environmentally
damaging option may be to leave the cable in-situ. This option raises the issue of liability for any
claims from fishermen or other third parties that come in contact with the cables. This issue will be
addressed in the planning stage of cable decommissioning.

The objectives of National Grid Nemo Link Ltd during the decommissioning process will be to
minimise both the short and long term effects on the environment whilst making the sea safe for
others to navigate. Based on current regulations and available technology, National Grid Nemo Link
Ltd proposes to remove the cable system where necessary or leave safely in-situ, and to leave the
protection in situ (mattresses or rocks).

The cable recovery process would essentially be the reverse of a cable laying operation. The cable is
retrieved for its entire length (directly with a grapnel or expose first with the jetting device and
subsequently picked up by the grapnel) and taken back to the vessel (stored in tanks on the vessel
or guillotined into sections). When back in port, the cable recovery vessel would unload the cable
onto the quayside for later reuse or recycling.

The cable route would be surveyed at the end of the operation to ensure that all cable had been
removed.

2.4. Marine equipment for the operations

2.4.1. Laying operation

On the offshore part of the project (approximately 100 km of deep water >10 m depth), the vessel
will be a Cable Lay Vessel (CLV) which could work on minimum 10 m of water depth. Typically, a
large CLV will be up to 150 m in length and will move slowly (1 to 2 knots). The precautionary zone
around this vessel is 500 m radius, and this will be larger (potentially up to 2 km) if the CLV has
anchors.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 24

The transport capacity of the CLV limits the length of cable to be laid in a single campaign. Several
campaigns are needed to install the entire system but, for the French section, the cable laying
operation in French waters will take place on the same day if there are no cable joints on the French
section.

The best time period for cable laying operations in European waters is during the summer season,
broadly between April and October. This period is determined primarily by the high probability of
adverse weather occurring outside of this period.

In areas with a high level of traffic, other vessels will be notified in advance of the cable laying
operations by Notice to Navigation (AVURNAV), also known as “Notice to Mariners”, and VHF radio
transmissions. In the area, accompanying guard vessels (known as guard dogs) will be deployed to
protect the site and liaise with other vessels sailing or operating nearby (Channel traffic, DST Pas de
Calais and fishermen English / French / Belgian).

2.4.1.1. Burial

The classic plough or jetting plough is towed by the CLV (generally in the precautionary zone of the
vessel), or by a smaller vessel following the CLV.

Vessel towing the plough CLV

Plough
Floating cable

Accompanying vessel

Vessel towing the plough CLV

Plough
Precautionnary
zone of 500m
Buried cable Floating cable

Accompanying vessel

Figure 2.4.1: Laying and burial of the cable carried out by two vessels in convoy (d’après ARCADIS, 2011)

The radius of the precautionnary zone around the vessels is 500 m in each lateral side of the vessel
but is increased to 2 km in longitudinal (2 vessels in convoy and plough). The accompanying vessels
operate within the security perimeter of the CLVs.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 25

2.4.1.2. Cable joint

Cable joints of the two ends of cables will be made on board the CLV and will take up to a week to
complete. In this time the vessel is likely to anchor to maintain position.

If one of the five joints occur within the 23 km French section of the cable route, the cable laying
operation will be extended in French waters, and the ship will be stationary (area security 2 km).

2.4.1.3. Post-burial

In the areas where the cable cannot be buried during the cable laying operation (such as at a cable
crossing or cable joint), a post-burial operation will be undertaken by a post-burial vessel which
could follow the CLV or undertake this operation in the few days afer the laying operation. Cable
laying operations and the post-burial operation are two separate operations.

Post-burial is not considered to be necessary within the French section of the cable route, unless an
extra cable loop coming from a cable joint falls within this section which then needs to be dealt with
during post-burial.

2.4.2. Maintenance

Monitoring of the buried cable

A survey to ensure the proper burial of the cable could be carried out by small specialised vessels,
capable of working in such depth of water. It is not necessary to use heavy equipment to undertake
these geotechnical and geophysical surveys.

Intervention on the cable for repair

A repair operation requires generally one vessel, like a CLV. This vessel has to work in a static
position to carry out the repair and use anchors.

The post-burial of the repaired cable, including the extra cable and the joints, is undertaken with a
jetting device from the CLV or an additional vessel specifically for this operation.

2.4.3. End of Life Retrieval of the Cable

The decommissionning operation requires the same type of vessel as the cable laying operation.
Indeed a CLV is used for all the operations involved in the retrieval and storage of the cable, and an
accompanying vessel follows the execution of the works. The decommissionning schedule is the
same as for the laying operation, according to the capacity of the vessel to store the cable. The
grapnel operation could take place directly from the CLV.

The survey at the end of the decommissioning phase could be carried out by the same kind of vessel
used for the survey/monitoring of the proper burial of the cable.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 26

3. Provisions to ensure the safety of shipping and to prevent
navigational accidents
Mitigations have been defined to reduce the impact of the cable installation on marine traffic.

3.1. Signs and securing the working mobile area

3.1.1. Temporary precautionary mobile zone

Due to the progression and the size of the vessels working in a high marine traffic area, a
precautionary zone forbidden to other vessels not associated with installation will be set up around
the working area.

accompanying vessel

Vessel towing the plough CLV

plough
Precautionnary
zone of 500m
Buried cable
Floating cable

accompanying vessel

3.1.2. Accompanying Vessel

The accompanying vessels inside the precautionnary zone (known as guard dogs, and with bilingual
workers on board) are deployed to liaise with and maintain the communication between the vessels
inside and outside of the precautionary zone. Two accompanying vessels will be mandated for the
cable laying operation; one for the protection of the CLV, and the other for the communication (and
management of conflict if necessary) with the other vessels.

These specific vessels will be chosen according to their speed, availability and on-board equipment.
Thus, the protection of the site may be provided by local fishermen who have a good knowledge of
the area and of the other users around the working area.

3.1.3. Signs

The cable installation vessels shall comply with the regulation and show the lights and shapes
prescribed, as required by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS
or COLREG).

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 27

3.2. Cooperation with monitoring traffic services in the Channel

The traffic monitoring services (CNIS - Channel Navigation Information Service, on the English side,
and CROSS - Regional Operational Centre for Surveillance and Rescue on the French side) ensure
the safety of navigation in the Straight of Calais. For that purpose, they ensure and monitor the
compliance of vessels with the procedures of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), for
vessels navigating in a Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), and they provide the latest information on
navigational conditions and irregularities that may affect the safety of navigation.

The obligatory procedure of identification of ships in the Straight of Calais (CALDOVREP), and radar
coverage of the area, reduce navigational risk significantly during cable installation. It is necessary
to notify in advance the operation plans to the traffic services and thereafter to provide daily reports
(Dover Coastguard Station in the United Kingdom and CROSS Gris Nez in France). A
communications plan indicating the position of vessels and daily activities will be established with
the Dover CNIS and the Gris-Nez to ensure good communication.

In the unlikely event of non-authorised vessels transiting the Straight without contacting the CNIS
or CROSS despite the CALDOVREP regulations, the guard ships’ shipyard procedure will include a
specific process for dealing with these vessels.

3.3. Broadcast Notice to Mariners

Information necessary for safe navigation will be announced in accordance with the guidelines of the
monitoring maritime traffic services, which broadcast in VHF marine signal a Notice to Mariners with
a description of the operation, the identification of vessels used for the operation and specifying the
area of operation. This review is regularly updated and an urgent Notice to Mariners (AVURNAV) will
be issued in the event of an incident or specific operation (cable connection requires a stationary
vessel during this operation).

The Kingfisher Information Service, which provides precise information on the position of vessels in
offshore waters and of underwater hazards will also be advised to publish details of the installation
works and the final cable route in their newsletters.

In addition, the new infrastructure (cable) will be indicated upon marine maps and the sailing
directions issued by the SHOM and its British counterpart (UKHO).

Direct information will be provided to local organisations and fishing associations via a Fisheries
Liaison Officer (FLO) on the British side; and via the Regional Committees for fishing, including all of
the fleets concerned (Basse-Normandie, Haute-Normandie and Nord-Pas de Calais) on the French
side.

3.4. Emergency Coordination Plan (ERCoP)

HSE Representatives (Health, Safety and Environment) of the offshore construction company will
provide a plan for coordination during an emergency (Emergency Response Cooperation Plan -
ERCoP) covering all phases of the project. This plan must be approved by the MCA and CROSS, and
shall describe in detail the cooperation with the monitoring of maritime traffic with the emergency
services, the nearest ports/harbours and pilots.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 28

3.5. Cable protection

To minimise the risk of collision and/or damage to the cable, especially in the event of an emergency
anchorage near the cable, the cable (including its metal shield) is buried to a defined depth based
upon the potential penetration of anchors and fishing gear, as well as legal requirements within the
Straight of Calais (a strict and absolute 0.5 m along the entire length of the cable route).

3.6. Risk of cable exposure

Any incident causing the outcrop of the cable, whereby it becomes susceptible to the anchors or
other gear of vessels frequenting the site (such as fishing vessels) will be identified on the surface of
the water through the installation of a light buoy and/or the presence of a guard ship (depending on
the traffic density in the area of the incident) until the problem is resolved (the cable is re-buried).

3.7. Geomagnetic interference

The risks related to the EMF emitted by the power cable upon vessels’ navigational instruments is of
concern in relation to vessels navigating the Straight of DST of Pas de Calais, especially in the event
of low visibility conditions. The study undertaken for the power cable BritNed (2004), which is of
comparable configuration to the Nemo Link, showed that the maximum deviation of the compass
caused by the cable was less than 5 degrees (SwedPower , October 2003), which remains at a level
acceptable to the authorities managing traffic in the DST.

The cable burial depth for the Nemo Link, which is similar to the BrtiNed project, makes the findings
of this study relevant here.

3.8. Discovery of munitions or explosives

National Grid Nemo Link Ltd undertakes to notify the competent authorites (Préfecture Maritime and
DDTM) within the prescribed time (48 hours) of any discovery of a suspicious device, and commits
to comply with any instructions given by the named organisations. It also undertakes to provide, at
the end of the survey, a list of wrecks and obstructions found in the cable route.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 29

4.

Rapport 109375-R P2 v2.2 30