Prior Information Notice - RFI - Xlinks Morocco-UK Power Project HVDC Transmission infrastructure 525kV

Description

The Xlinks Morocco-UK Power Project is being developed by Xlinks First as the principal developer. The Xlinks Morocco-UK Power Project is a multi-technology renewable energy project of circa 11 GW generated in Morocco with a combination of solar, wind and in-land power transmission, coupled with energy storage. The electricity produced by the Moroccan generation facilities will be transported exclusively to Great Britain through dedicated 4,000 km HVDC onshore and offshore transmission infrastructure delivering 3.6GW, which will serve up to 8% of Great Britain’s electricity needs. The HVDC system is comprised of two separate bi-poles, providing two separate connections in the UK. The Project comprises four key elements: 1-Generation: covering all the generation assets (wind, solar, BESS) with their related civil and electrical works up to the HVDC converters in Morocco. 2-HVDC Converter Stations: in Morocco and the UK. 3-HVDC Onshore Transmission: covering onshore transmission in Morocco (underground cables and overhead line) and in the UK (underground cable). 4-HVDC Offshore Transmission: submarine HVDC cable between the Moroccan and UK landing points. Xlinks First is in the process of finalising the contracting strategy for the Project. This Prior Information Notice relates to the HVDC onshore and offshore transmission. Potential suppliers for HVDC cable, HVDC overhead lines and related works are being invited to respond to a Request for Information, including an expression of interest for some or all of the Scope of Works for the transmission infrastructure. These companies are requested to register in Delta eSourcing (via the link provided above) to access further information. The HVDC system comprises two electrically separated bipoles, each with a 1.8GW connection to the UK grid. The entire onshore and offshore transmission Scope of Works will encompass: A-Four offshore HVDC cables, each 3,800km long, will form the twin 1.8GW HVDC subsea cable systems that will follow the shallow water route from the Moroccan site to a grid location in Great Britain, passing through water of Spain, Portugal, and France waters. / B-Four onshore HVDC underground cables, each 15km long, will connect the HVDC subsea cable system to the twin 1.8GW HVDC Converters station in UK./ C-Two or four onshore HVDC cables. An optional HVDC overhead line could replace two of the onshore HVDC cables, each approximately 150km long, will connect the 2 bi-pole HVDC Converters station in Morocco to the offshore HVDC Cable system./ Please note that a similar RFI is underway for the HVDC Converter Stations scope of works for Project. Once Xlinks First has received responses from participants, Xlinks First may initiate further discussions with potential suppliers before finalising its procurement strategy. Once the procurement strategy is confirmed, Xlinks First will proceed to launch the procurement events. Lot 1: Xlinks First is issuing this Prior Information Notice (PIN) to invite potential suppliers for some or all of the HVDC transmission infrastructure Scope of Work to respond to a Request for Information (RFI) to: - Understand market Capacity to deliver the service and gather market intelligence - Collect expressions of interest for the Scope of Work for the HVDC transmission system. Xlinks First is utilising an electronic tendering portal (Delta) to manage this RFI and as such interested individuals and organisations will need to register on the portal to access the RFI documentation and return the completed RFI response document.  Respondents wishing to participate are requested to register in Delta eSourcing (via the link provided above) to access further information and access RFI documents. The RFI documentation will be accessible from 17:00 on 27 September 2023 and completed RFI responses must be submitted by 16:00 on 18 October 2023.  It is important to note that this PIN/RFI is not a call for competition and does not qualify or register participants for any future tender opportunity. Additional information: Xlinks First does not consider itself a utility for the purposes of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 and/or any replacement or other national legislation. Publication of this PIN does not commit Xlinks First to publishing any further procurement activities in relation to the Project