Eastern Green Link 1 Begins Construction
Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1), a joint venture between SP Energy Networks and National Grid Electricity Transmission, will transport green electricity for two million homes along over 190km of predominantly undersea cable linking the south-east of Scotland with the north-east of England.
EGL1 is a 525kV, 2GW HVDC subsea transmission cable that will run from Torness in East Lothian, Scotland to Hawthorn Pit in County Durham, England. The project aims to create "an electrical superhighway" to transport renewable energy from wind-rich Scotland to high-demand areas in England, powering more than two million UK homes. The project will enhance the UK's energy security and also aims to reduce dependence on volatile gas markets.
The £2.5bn project was given the green light by Ofgem last year and onshore works are now underway with offshore construction due to start in the summer. At the cable’s two landfall points, Torness, in East Lothian, and Hawthorn Pit, in County Durham, two converter stations will be built to change the electricity from alternating to direct current – the most efficient way for it to travel long distances. Specialist boats are then used to lay the cable across the seabed and bury it throughout the route before connecting it to the grid.
Prysmian Group has been awarded the contract to supply the HVDC cables, in a contract worth approximately €850 million (£750 million). A consortium led by GE Vernova and MYTILINEOS Energy & Metals has been awarded a £1 billion contract to supply and construct two High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) converter stations.
Today in Torness, SP Energy Networks CEO, Nicola Connelly and National Grid Electricity Transmission President of Strategic Infrastructure, Carl Trowell, were joined by Minister for Housing and MSP for East Lothian, Paul McLennan, to mark construction getting underway.
They confirmed a £8m fund has been approved by Ofgem to support communities and deliver social, environmental and economic benefits where the cable meets land in East Lothian and County Durham. Set to open later this year, the fund recognises the important contribution communities in will play in hosting vital energy infrastructure and strengthening energy security.
