Ofgem has given the go ahead for a £3.4 billion power cable project that will connect Scotland and England.
The Eastern Green Link 2 project involves installing a 436 kilometre subsea cable under the North Sea, running from Peterhead in Scotland to Drax in Yorkshire.
An additional 70 kilometres of underground cables will connect the subsea link to the national grid.
This project, developed by National Grid Electricity Transmission and SSEN Transmission, is expected to start construction this year and become operational by 2029.
The cable will transport 2GW of electricity, sufficient to supply power to two million homes.
The project is the first to be approved under Ofgem’s Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) programme, designed to fast track essential energy projects.
The new cable will help integrate more offshore wind power into the UK grid, contributing to cleaner energy targets.
Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem Chief Executive Officer, said: “Ofgem is fully committed to supporting the government to meet its aims of getting clean power by 2030.
“Today’s announcement is a further step in putting the regulatory systems and processes in place to speed up network regulation to achieve its aim.
“ASTI accelerates approval times for projects such as EGL2 by up to two years. Streamlining the process does not mean blank cheques for developers as we are able to step in and make financial adjustments to maximise efficiency and consumer benefit.”
Ricky Saez, EGL2 Project Director, commented: “Not only will EGL2 will play a major role in bolstering energy security and contributing to net zero targets, it will also provide a lasting legacy in local communities where our teams are already supporting local environmental initiatives that enhance community wellbeing.”
Zac Richardson, Offshore Delivery Director for National Grid said: “We now look forward to delivering supply chain contracts, jobs, and skills and helping to fulfil the government’s ambition for the UK to be a clean energy superpower.”
