Work on UK-Germany interconnector to start this year

The NeuConnect cable will pass under the North Sea and will be capable of transporting 1,400 megawatts of electricity

Today, the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced that work to build the NeuConnect will start this year. The project envisions a 2.8-billion-euro investment that will see the United Kingdom and Germany connect their energy grids for the first time. The connection is expected to start operating in 2028.

The energy link will pass under the North Sea through German, Dutch and British waters. A massive 725-kilometre cable will run from Germany’s convertor station in Fedderwarden near Bremerhaven to the UK’s Isle of Grain, near the mouth of the River Thames.

Cooperation between the EU and the UK

The German-British energy connector is one example of a mutually beneficial arrangement and a definite improvement in relations since Brexit was finalized. The project involves the cooperation of 20 international banks, including the European Investment Bank and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

The connector itself will likely ease trade between the two sides and contribute to the introduction of high shares of intermittent renewable energy across the North Sea. The connector consists of a high voltage direct current link between the two converter stations, with a capacity of 1,400 megawatts and 525 kilovolts.

According to a statement by the EIB, the interconnector will make the use of offshore wind farms more efficient, which will support the UK’s and Germany's renewable energy policies.

EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle was quoted in a press release, explaining that the project would be a key factor in the sustainable energy transition, precisely because of its wind energy use potential. Furthermore, cross-border electricity trade will help direct energy to where it needs to go the most. In turn, this would contribute to the stability of the energy grid on both sides of the North Sea.