10.07.2023

Eiffage takes part in building an electric battery gigafactory for ACC in Douvrin/Billy-Berclau

Automotive Cells Company (ACC) has begun the 15-month construction of an extraordinary factory producing lithium-ion battery cells and modules for electric vehicles, at Billy-Berclau in the Hauts-de-France region. The opening of the first block of ACC's Gigafactory is eagerly awaited by an entire population basin, whose industry is currently undergoing conversion in a promising new sector in France. 

Eiffage was awarded several lots in the construction contract for "Block 1" of the ACC gigafactory, and the Eiffage Énergie Systèmes teams took part in this Group challenge by working on three complementary lots. Here is an overview : 
 

All trades plant construction (Lot 1) : electricity for the building  

"We carried out all the high-voltage work on the building shell, including lighting, sockets and equipment for ancillary rooms, in consortium with Eiffage Génie Civil (lead contractor), Eiffage Métal and Eiffage Route. For the low-voltage part, we designed and installed the fire detection system, VDI cabling, access control and Building Management System (BMS)", explained business manager  Laurent Milon. Our specialists also orchestrated the power supply and distribution for the site's living quarters. 
 

Construction of a 225 kV delivery substation (Lot 2B) 

"Once Eiffage Route had built the substation platform, we installed all the high-voltage (HV) equipment comprising the 225 kV delivery substation: two 225 kV line inlets, a busbar and two transformers (70/95 MVA). We managed to deliver the turnkey substation within a year," emphasized business manager Jean-Baptiste Delécluse. Monitoring and supervision of the plant's electrical facilities (common to lots 2B and 2C) are also part of our experts' remit. 
 

MV/LV electrical distribution for the plant (Lot 2C) 

"As part of Lot 2C, we built the two-way medium-voltage (MV) connections between the 225 kV substation and each MV/LV electrical substation (20 kV/400 VAC). We equipped the substations with HV switchboards, HV/LV transformers, LV switchboards, inverters, corrugated switchboards and network bays. In addition, we organized centralized supervision of the six MV loops and the seven MV/LV substations supplying the plant's machines," added project manager Bertrand Dekervel.  

"Block 1" of the ACC gigafactory in Douvrin, located right next to the Stellantis plant in the Parc des Industries Artois-Flandres, is 600 m long and 100 m wide,  By 2030, two further blocks of the same size will increase production to 40 GWh, enough to power the equivalent of 800,000 electric cars every year. Consultations for the construction of future production blocks are currently underway, with "Block 2" scheduled for 2025 and "Block 3" for 2029. 

 

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