Approval for huge power cable project linking Scotland and North Yorkshire

An “electricity superhighway” cable project linking Aberdeenshire and North Yorkshire has been given a provisional funding package of £3.4bn.

At more than 500km, the Eastern Green Link 2 is a 2GW connection between Peterhead and Drax and is intended to deliver electricity generated by offshore wind to British consumers. The project is a joint venture between SSEN Transmission and National Grid Electricity Transmission, which are financing the build with costs later to be recouped through bills.

Having scrutinised the cost plans from the two developers, Ofgem identified £67m of savings to be made that it said would not impact the quality or delivery of the project which is expected to take a £4.3bn investment overall. It is the second such connection to progress under the Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) framework alongside Eastern Green Link 1, which will link the Torness area in East Lothian, Scotland and Hawthorn Pit in County Durham.

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Sandy Mactaggart, director of offshore delivery for SSEN Transmission, said: ” We welcome Ofgem’s provisional decision to approve all necessary expenditure for the Eastern Green Link 2 project, a critical milestone in the final stages of the regulatory approvals process. With HVDC technology set to play a leading role in the clean energy transition, the delivery of EGL2 will build on the significant expertise we have established in this cutting-edge technology following the success of our Caithness-Moray HVDC link, and the Shetland HVDC link which remains on track for energisation this summer.

“We now look forward to working constructively with Ofgem and other stakeholders to finalise the investment required, in a timely manner, to build this underwater superhighway of electricity transmission, unlocking the electricity generation capacity required to power two million homes. We also look forward to working with NGET and our supply chain partners on this and future projects as we continue to deliver the critical national infrastructure required to meet our energy ambitions.”

Zac Richardson, offshore delivery director for National Grid said: “The Eastern Green Links form part of The Great Grid Upgrade, our critical infrastructure investment plan which will upgrade and reinforce the electricity network to support the significant growth in renewable generation. We welcome Ofgem’s provisional decision as we believe the links will deliver the best value for money for consumers, while helping the UK decarbonise and achieve its net zero ambition.”

Energy Minister Graham Stuart said: “Improving our infrastructure is crucial for adding more, cheaper renewable energy to the grid and transporting electricity to where it is needed. That’s why we announced reforms to help unlock investment and halve the time it takes to build new network infrastructure.

“This project is just the start and will unleash Scotland’s renewable potential, strengthen the UK’s energy security, and support hundreds of jobs during construction.”