A multi-billion-pound subsea cable that can shift vast amounts of renewable electricity between Peterhead and England has been given the go-ahead.
Regulator Ofgem said the £4.3 billion Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) will deliver a 2 gigawatts high voltage “electricity superhighway” cable link between Peterhead and Drax in North Yorkshire.
Delivered as a joint venture by National Grid and SSEN Transmission, EGL2 will include the longest high-voltage direct current subsea cable in the UK.
The project will “help harness the potential of British offshore wind” and could power up to two million homes.
A new converter station is being built close to Peterhead power station from where high voltage direct current cables will be laid on the seabed.
EGL2 said it is the single largest-ever investment in electricity transmission infrastructure in Great Britain and one of the most significant, strategic investments in energy infrastructure the country has seen in recent years.
‘Major milestone’ for Peterhead project
Aberdeenshire Council recently granted final planning approval for the converter station, with construction to begin at the site near Boddam later this year.
Most of the cable, around 270 miles, will be under the North Sea with the remaining 40 miles buried underground onshore.
Ricky Saez, EGL2 project director, described the Ofgem decision as a “major milestone”.
He added: “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.
“This is a commitment that will continue throughout the lifetime of the project and beyond, as we aim to be a positive force in the communities we operate.”
First electricity due next year
Approval has been given in just five months under the regulator Ofgem’s fast track process.
The offshore cable laying is expected to begin in 2028 with the first transmission of electricity due the following year.
Sandy Mactaggart, SSEN Transmission director of offshore delivery, said: “With HVDC technology set to play a leading role in the energy transition, the delivery of EGL2 will build on our significant expertise demonstrated through the success of our Caithness-Moray HVDC link, and the ongoing delivery of our Shetland HVDC link.”
Earlier this year Europe’s largest floating windfarm was approved off Peterhead coast.
Green Volt – which is owned 50% each by Aberdeen-based Flotation Energy and Norwegian firm Vargronn – is Europe’s first commercial-scale floating windfarm.
The approval will trigger up to £3 billion in investment, according to north-east energy tycoon Sir Ian Wood, who hailed the decision as a “massive boost” for the region.
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