Getlink, a French company that operates and manages the Channel Tunnel, a vital fixed link between the United Kingdom and continental Europe, has reached an agreement with its insurers for about €55 mn in compensation tied to operating losses at ElecLink after a prolonged shutdown in late 2024. The settlement covers revenue lost while the interconnector remained offline.
The interruption stemmed from a fault on the ElecLink interconnector, a high-voltage subsea electricity cable running through the Channel Tunnel and linking the French and UK power grids.
The issue forced operations to stop on 25 September 2024.
Activity stayed suspended until 5 February 2025 as a safety measure while repairs were carried out. Initial expectations proved optimistic.
Subsequent testing uncovered a second, related fault, stretching the repair timeline beyond what Getlink had first anticipated.
Restoration work eventually allowed ElecLink to return to service in stages, starting in early February 2025. Until then, the interconnector generated no revenue.
The outage translated directly into operating losses, with little room to offset them elsewhere.
Under the insurance agreement, Getlink will receive €55 mn in total compensation. Of that amount, €5 mn had already been booked in the first half of 2025. The balance will flow through the group’s consolidated financial statements for the full 2025 financial year.
According to Beinsure, claims tied to critical energy infrastructure outages tend to test policy wording and loss quantification. In this case, the parties appear to have reached closure without protracted dispute.
Getlink oversees rail shuttle and freight operations, rail freight services, and energy interconnection projects, positioning itself as a leader in low-carbon transport infrastructure in Europe.
Getlink is, through its subsidiary Eurotunnel, the concession holder until 2086 for the Channel Tunnel infrastructure and operates the Truck and Passenger (cars and coaches) Shuttle services between Folkestone (GB) and Calais (France).
- Since 31 December 2020, Eurotunnel has been developing services around the smart border to ensure that the Tunnel remains the fastest, most reliable, easiest and most environmentally friendly way to cross the Channel.
- Since its opening in 1994, more than 518 mn people and over 106 mn vehicles have travelled through the Channel Tunnel.
This unique land link, which carries a quarter of all trade between the Continent and Great Britain has become a vital link, reinforced by the Eleclink electricity interconnector installed in the Tunnel, which helps balance energy needs between France and Great Britain.
