The UK’s energy regulator has fast-tracked the approval of a subsea cable from Scotland to England, paving the way to connect 2 million homes with clean wind power.
Ofgem approved £2 billion ($2.5 billion) of funding for the Eastern Green Link 1, a high voltage link that will transmit 2 gigawatts of electricity between East Lothian in Scotland and County Durham in England.
It’s the first project to go through the regulator’s Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment framework, as the UK addresses grid constraints that threaten the development of renewable energy. Ofgem is targeting 26 critical energy projects worth around £20 billion, while the National Grid Plc’s Electricity System Operator estimates that £112 billion needs to be invested in the grid to ensure the country is on track for net zero.
“To meet future energy demand and government net zero targets we need to accelerate the pace at which we build the high voltage energy network, which transports homegrown electricity to where it’s needed,” Rebecca Barnett, Ofgem director of major projects, said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Eastern Green Link 1 project is dependent on securing planning permission, while the budget is subject to a consultation launched today.
