List of high-voltage transmission links in the United Kingdom

The following is a list of high-voltage transmission links in the United Kingdom, including some under construction or proposed.

The rise of UK interconnection

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's Digest of UK Energy Statistics reports that the UK was a net importer of electricity in 2024, with net imports of 33.4 TWh, up 40% from 2023.

Interconnectors allow the trade of electricity between countries with excess generation (for example, intermittent renewable) and those with high demand. Interconnectors play a key part in balancing variable renewable generation, for example the 1.4 GW North Sea Link allows the UK to export excess power to Norway during windy periods to conserve Norwegian hydro stocks, and import Norwegian hydro power on less windy days.

During the 2022 energy crisis, the UK exported record amounts of power to mainland Europe, helping to alleviate the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on European security of supply.

As of 12 November 2024, Great Britain had nine operational international electricity interconnectors.

International links Operational

NameDevelopersSubstationLength(km)Voltage(kV)Power(MW)Operational RouteUKNon-UK IFA (HVDC Cross-Channel) National Grid and RTE Sellindge, Kent Bonningues-lès-Calais, France 73 2,000 1986 Subsea cable IFA-2 National Grid and RTE Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire Tourbe, France 204 1,000 2021 Subsea cable ElecLink Getlink Folkestone, Kent Peuplingues, France 51 1,000 2022 BritNed National Grid and TenneT Isle of Grain, Kent Maasvlakte, Netherlands 260 1,000 2011 Subsea cable East–West Interconnector EirGrid Interconnector Limited Shotton, Flintshire Rush, County Dublin, Ireland 262 500 2012 Subsea cable Nemo Link Nemo Link Limited (National Grid and Elia) Richborough, Kent Zeebrugge, Belgium 140 1,000 2019 Subsea cable North Sea Link National Grid and Statnett Blyth, Northumberland Kvilldal, Norway 720 1,400 2021 Subsea cable Viking Link National Grid and Energinet Bicker Fen, Lincolnshire Revsing, Jutland, Denmark 765 1,400 2023 Subsea cable Greenlink Element Power & Partners Group Pembroke, Pembrokeshire Great Island, County Wexford, Ireland 190 504 2025 Subsea cable Total 9,804

Under construction, approved, or recently cancelled

Name DevelopersSubstation Length(km) Voltage(kV) Power(MW) Approval & status Proposedopening Type of HVDCUKNon-UK NeuConnect Meridiam, Allianz and Kansai Electric Power Isle of Grain, Kent Wilhelmshaven, Lower Saxony, Germany 725 525 1,400Ofgem approved and under construction 2028 Submarine Nautilus National Grid Ventures and Elia Isle of Grain, Kent TBD 160 TBD 1,400Ofgem approved 2028 Submarine MaresConnect Foresight Group and Etchea Energy Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire Woodland, County Meath 245 320 750Ofgem approved 2029 Submarine FAB Link RTE and FAB Link Limited Exeter Airport, Devon L'Étang-Bertrand (lieu-dit Menuel) 220 320 1,250Ofgem approved 2030 Submarine LionLinkNational Grid Ventures and TenneT Walberswick, Suffolk TBD TBD TBD 1,800Ofgem approved 2032 Submarine Tarchon Copenhagen Infrastructure Partnersand Volta Partners Tendring, Essex Niederlangen 750 525 1,400Ofgem approved 2034 Submarine Atlantic SuperConnection ASC Energy Creyke Beck, East Riding of Yorkshire TBD ~1,700to 1,800 TBD 1,800Pending 2029 Submarine Xlinks Morocco-UK Power Project Xlinks Ltd Alverdiscott, Devon Tan-Tan 3,800 TBD 3,600CfD rejected 2029 Submarine Gridlink Interconnector GridLink Interconnector Ltd Kingsnorth, Kent Warande 140 525 1,400France rejected 2030 Submarine AQUIND AQUIND Limited Lovedean, Hampshire Barnabos 240 320 2,000Ofgem rejected TBC Submarine

National links Operational Per the below list, the United Kingdom has, , a national interconnector capacity of MW.

Name Developers Substation 1 Substation 2 Length(km) Voltage(kV) Power(MW) Operational Remarks Moyle Interconnector Mutual Energy Auchencrosh, South Ayrshire Ballycronan More, County Antrim 63.5 250 500 2001SubmarineHVDC Caithness - Moray Link Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Caithness Moray 160 320 1,200 2019 Western HVDC Link National Grid and ScottishPower Transmission Hunterston, Ayrshire Flintshire Bridge, Flintshire 422 600 2,250 2019 Shetland HVDC Connection Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Kergord, Shetland Noss Head, Caithness 260 320 600 2024

Under construction and proposed

Name Developers Substation 1 Substation 2 Length(km) Voltage(kV) Power(MW) Operational Remarks Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1) National Grid and SP Energy Networks Torness, East Lothian Hawthorn Pit, County Durham 196 525 2,000 Subsea and underground HVDC Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) National Grid and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Peterhead, Aberdeenshire Drax, North Yorkshire 505 525 2,000 Subsea and underground HVDC Western Isles HVDC connection Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Arnish, Isle of Lewis Beauly, Highland 165 1,800 Subsea and underground HVDC Spittal to Peterhead subsea cable link Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Banniskirk Hub, near Spittal, Caithness Netherton Hub, near Peterhead, Aberdeenshire 220 525 2,000 Subsea and underground HVDC Sea Link National Grid Friston, Suffolk Minster, Kent 138 525 2,000 Subsea and underground HVDC LirIC Transmission Investment Hunterston, North Ayrshire Kilroot, County Antrim 142 320 700 Subsea HVDC (plus onshore cable sections) Eastern Green Link 3 (EGL3) National Grid and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Peterhead, Aberdeenshire Walpole, Norfolk 575 525 2,000 Subsea and underground HVDC Eastern Green Link 4 (EGL4) National Grid and ScottishPower Energy Networks Westfield, Fife Walpole, Norfolk 525 TBC 2,000 Subsea and underground HVDC Eastern Green Link 5 (EGL5) National Grid and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks TBC (Eastern Scotland) TBC (Lincolnshire area) 525 TBC 2,000 Subsea and underground HVDC

List of high-voltage transmission links in the United Kingdom

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