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

Background

Background Corporate Structure Meridiam is the lead developer of an electricity interconnector project linking the UK to Germany through a 725km – 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.

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

Transformative

• The vital new link will create an ‘invisible highway’ to carry 1.4 GW of electricity, enough to power tens of millions of 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

Stage:

Development