UK NGET Approves 2GW Subsea Transmission Cable Project

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 30, the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero approved the Development Consent Order (DCO) for National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET)'s Sea Link project. The project plans to build a 2GW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line connecting Suffolk and Kent in England, with a total route length of approximately 138 kilometers, primarily using subsea cables. Following approval, the project will enter the subsequent engineering delivery planning phase.

The Sea Link project connects the Suffolk coast with Pegwell Bay in Kent. The route includes subsea HVDC cables, onshore underground cables on both sides, and associated converter facilities. The project will build converter stations near Saxmundham in Suffolk and near Minster in Kent, interfacing with existing local transmission infrastructure to enable bidirectional power transmission between the two regions. Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) previously defined it as a 2GW HVDC transmission project with associated transmission network reinforcement facilities.

The project is part of National Grid's "Great Grid Upgrade" program, primarily aimed at enhancing power transmission capacity between eastern and southeastern England, alleviating bottlenecks in the existing transmission network, and supporting the grid connection of offshore wind and other low-carbon generation sources. As the UK's renewable generation capacity expands, new cross-regional transmission corridors help deliver power from generation resource concentration areas to demand centers.

National Grid's previously published project schedule shows that Sea Link is planned for construction between 2027 and 2031. The DCO approval is a key planning consent milestone for the project. National Grid stated it will proceed with detailed delivery planning and maintain communication with local partners. The project will still need to advance construction and related engineering implementation work according to schedule.