UK–Denmark power cable complete
Laying of the Viking Link interconnector power cable between the UK and Denmark has been completed.
Image for illustration purposes.
Denmark, Jutland: Laying of the Viking Link interconnector power cable between the UK and Denmark has been completed.
The British and Danish electricity grids have been physically connected for the first time, following the completion of cable works on the Viking Link interconnector.
The final section of the state-of-art high voltage subsea cable, which joins Bicker Fen in Lincolnshire with Jutland in Denmark, was completed offshore in the North Sea.
The 2,2 B USD (£1.7 B) is a joint venture between National Grid and Danish system operator Energinet. It will be the world’s longest land and subsea interconnector – stretching for 765 km (475 miles) between the two countries and forming a continuous link between them for the first time. Due to be complete by the end of 2023, it will enable the sharing of enough green electricity between UK and Denmark to power 1.4 M UK homes.
Once in operation, Viking Link will enable fast and flexible energy to be shared between the two countries, from where it is generated to where it is needed most. Flowing at the flick of a switch, interconnectors can respond quickly to changes in supply and demand, making them an ideal partner to intermittent renewable energy.
Rebecca Sedler, Managing Director for Interconnectors, said:
“This is a fantastic moment for the UK and Denmark, and a key milestone for the world record project, as we join the electricity networks of our two countries for the first time. Interconnectors bring huge benefits to the UK, acting as clean energy super-highways, allowing us to move surplus green energy from where it is generated to where it is needed the most. That means that we can import cheaper and cleaner energy from our neighbours when we need it, and vice versa. As countries begin to integrate more offshore wind generation into their energy systems, interconnectors will become critical for transporting clean and green energy and helping to manage the intermittent nature of renewable sources.”
Construction on Viking Link started in 2019. The HVDC cable, manufactured and laid by Prysmian and NKT, is made from copper, steel, paper and plastic and is buried on the seabed.
Between 2020 and 2030 National Grid expects its interconnectors will have helped the UK to avoid around 100 M tonnes of CO2 emissions, and by 2030 90 % of the energy imported through the company’s interconnectors will be from zero carbon energy sources.
Source: National Grid
Related news:
https://transformers-magazine.com/tm-news/joint-venture-by-national-grid-and-ssen-transmission/
#Energinet#green electricity#interconnector#National Grid#Viking Link