UK electricity and gas regulator Ofgem has approved a £3.4 billion funding package for a proposed 310 mile subsea and underground cable between Scotland and Yorkshire.
Ofgem said the Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) will deliver a 2 GW high voltage “electricity superhighway” cable link between Peterhead in Aberdeenshire and Drax in North Yorkshire.
The project will “help harness the potential of British offshore wind” and could power up to two million homes.
© Supplied by Ocean WindsMost of the cable (around 270 miles) will be under the North Sea with the remaining 40 miles buried underground onshore.
Two converter stations, one at each end of the cable, are planned to help feed the electricity transported by the cable into the grid and from there onto consumers.
Aberdeenshire Council recently granted final planning approval for the converter station at Peterhead, with construction to begin at the site near Boddam later this year.
Eastern Green Link 2 subsea cable
EGL2 is the first of 26 projects to complete a fast-track approval process to secure funding through Ofgem’s Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) framework.
Ofgem said ASTI will boost grid capacity and could deliver savings of around £1.5 billion.
The regulator said during the ASTI process it identified over £79 million in savings across the EGL2 project.
© Image: SSEN TransmissionOfgem chief executive officer Jonathan Brearley said the ASTI process accelerates approval times for projects like EGL2 by up to two years.
“However, 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,” he said.
Ofgem said work on the EGL2 is expected to begin later this year and is due to be complete by 2029.
National Grid and SSEN Transmission
National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) and SSEN Transmission agreed the terms of a joint venture to build EGL2 last year.
SSEN Transmission parent company SSE said the total investment of £4.3 billion in EGL2 is the “single largest-ever investment in transmission infrastructure in Great Britain”.
© Supplied by SSEN TransmissionEGL2 project director Ricky Saez said the Ofgem decision is a “major milestone” for the project.
“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,” Saez said.
“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.”
SSEN Transmission director of offshore delivery Sandy Mactaggart said the EGL2 will build on the success of the Caithness-Moray and Shetland high voltage cable links.
Industry minister Sarah Jones also welcomed the approval of EGL2.
“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,” Jones said.
“These projects could support thousands of good jobs, whilst saving over a billion by upgrading the system, using the latest in offshore technology.”
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