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Oct 8 (Reuters) – French authorities on Wednesday denied an important maritime concession for the Aquind electricity interconnector project, effectively halting progress on the planned high-voltage link between France and the United Kingdom.

While the project received environmental approval in July, the concession required a national-level recognition of public interest, which was not validated, the Seine-Maritime prefecture said in a statement on Wednesday.

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“We are surprised by this decision, given the growing need for interconnection identified at the European level, particularly between France and Great Britain, and the policies implemented in this respect,” said Martin Dubourg, Aquind director for France.

While presenting a risk for the project, the decision does not call into question its relevance or eventual completion, he added.

With a capacity of 2 gigawatts, the interconnector is expected to transmit over 17 TWh of electricity annually between France and Great Britain, according to the project’s website.

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