NorNed cable to be repaired in April
23-03-2010
The NorNed cable between Norway and the Netherlands is expected to be back in operation during second half of April. Reparation works takes place 70 km outside the coast of the Netherlands and is expected to last for several weeks, depending on weather conditions.
The repair operation will be supported by two special vessels. One vessel will be used to clear the cable from the North Sea bed and bring it to the surface. The other will be used to conduct repairs and replace te defective section, an operation which will be carried out at sea. The cable will then be re-installed beneath te seabed to prevent any further damage.
The defective section will be removed and a replacement section welded between the two resulting ends. The entire repair operation demands a high level of specialisation and accurancy. As such, an expertly trained crew is required to complete the job. The repairs are expected to take several weeks, provided the weather conditions at sea are favourable. The cable will then be subjected to a series of tests before being put back into operation. The cable has been out of order since a fault occured in February.