6 European electricity Transmission System Operators are sourcing technical feedback on commonly written HV reference documents for HVAC and HVDC cable system - design and testing specification

Six Europeans TSOs: AMPRION, ELIA & 50Hertz, RTE, Red Electrica and SWISSGRID are working together with the aim of strengthening the grid technologies supply chain through the harmonization of cables systems and testing practice. This initiative is essential to ensure timely deployment of electricity grids that support increased renewable integration and electrification, enabling a decarbonized and competitive Europe. The focus is on technical reference documents for high-voltage (HV) power cables, including underground and submarine HVDC (high-voltage direct current) cables and underground HVAC (high-voltage alternating current) cables.

The objective of this cooperation is to develop a harmonized approach to accelerate the qualification of HVDC and HVAC power cables which are essential grid technologies for the energy transition in Europe. The TSOs built two sets of a common technical (core) reference for High Voltage power cables, mainly:

• HVDC: Submarine and land 525 kV cable systems (AMPRION, ELIA Group, RTE, REDEIA)
• HVAC: Land 245 kV and 420 kV cable systems (ELIA Group, RTE, REDEIA, SWISSGRID) This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is a preliminary request for information and does not constitute a call for tender or an invitation to contract. Its sole purpose is to gather technical feedback on the reference documents and assess the current state of the HV cable industry. No compensation will be provided for participation. This market consultation is conducted in accordance with Article 58 of Directive 2014/25/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014, which allows contracting authorities to conduct market consultations within a consultative procedure known as operational sourcing. Non-response to this PIN does not preclude participation in any future procurement procedure. Likewise, participation in this PIN does not confer any advantage in subsequent tenders. Interested parties are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via email: ehv_cables_survey@elia.be Conditions for participation: Economic and financial standing: No specific Economic or Financial data is requested for this technical sourcing. Technical and professional ability: In case the applicant is a consortium, at least one of the consortium members shall fulfil the requirement. For the applicant to be able to participate to the HVAC technical survey, it shall provide evidence that it has HVAC underground cable system manufacturing capacity with voltage level Um ≥ 245 kV. For the applicant to be able to participate to the HVDC technical survey, it shall provide evidence that it has 525 kV HVDC underground and/or submarine manufacturing capacity. The applicant is requested to provide all documentation in English. Deadline for EOI submission: Month 07, Day 31, 2025, at 17:00 (GMT+1 time). The EOI must include all relevant documentation demonstrating compliance with participation conditions and contact details of authorized representatives. Upon receipt of the EOI, a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) will be sent to eligible participants. The full technical reference documents and feedback questionnaire will be provided via email. Deadline for questionnaire submission: Month 09 , Day 4, 2025, at 17:00 (GMT+1 time). All responses will be treated confidentially by the TSO cooperation.