Ofgem has today given its final approval for the costs associated with the Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) project, paving the way for construction to start on a 525kV, 2GW subsea connection between Peterhead in Scotland and Drax in England.
The 500km+ high voltage direct current (HVDC) link, delivered as a joint venture by National Grid and SSEN Transmission, will be the longest HVDC subsea cable in the UK and the largest electricity transmission project ever undertaken in the country.
The project is expected to provide enough electricity to power two million homes.
Industry Minister Sarah Jones said: “To achieve our mission for clean power by 2030, we need a grid capable of transporting homegrown energy from renewable sources to power up our homes and businesses.
“These projects could support thousands of good jobs, whilst saving over a billion by upgrading the system, using the latest in offshore technology.”
Lawrence Slade, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association said: “This is welcome news from Ofgem. To move us forward towards clean power will require the biggest upgrade to the grid in decades.
“In turn, these projects will unlock jobs, secure work for contractors and suppliers, and ultimately mean more secure energy supplies in the future. This is a crucial part of that jigsaw.”
