Electrical interconnection project linking the United Kingdom to Germany via a 725 km bi-directional submarine cable – 1.4 GW

Background

Meridiam is the lead developer of an electricity interconnector project linking the UK to Germany through a 725 km – 1.4GW HVDC bi-directional submarine cable (2 x 525 kV).
The Project benefits from a strong economic, social and political rationale as it is essential to the security of electricity supply of both countries, helps manage intermittency associated with growing renewable energy installed capacity and alleviates the current grid congestion in northern Germany. It will contribute to securing supply in the UK by harnessing the growing offshore wind surplus located in Northern Germany.
The Project implementation will result in a net reduction in carbon emissions of 13Mt CO2 over the 25 years which is the equivalent of planting ca. 28 million tree or removing ca. 400,000 cars off the road per year.

Stage:

Under construction

ESG SDG key points

Sustainable, low carbon electricity

• UK: it will allow Britain to tap into the vast energy infrastructure existing in Germany, including its significant renewable energy sources (world’s 3rd largest producer of wind power)

• Germany: it will help ease current bottlenecks with wind turbines frequently powered-down due to an excess of renewable energy generation

• The project implementation will result in a net reduction in carbon emissions of 16Mt Co2 over the 25 years which is the equivalent of planting ca. 28 million tree or removing ca. 400 000 cars off the road per year

Transformative

• The vital new link will create an ‘invisible highway’ to carry 1.4GW of electricity, enough to power 1.5m homes over the life of the project

• The project will support up to 500 jobs during construction. Further jobs will also be created once the new connection becomes operational