Billions awarded
German-British “electricity highway” is getting closer
4/11/2022, 3:38 p.m
An underwater power cable is the largest bilateral energy project between Germany and Great Britain. From the mid-2020s, it should be able to transport electricity for around 1.5 million households. Siemens Energy and an Italian group are now receiving bids for work worth billions.
With a contract award worth billions, the construction of a planned “electricity highway” under water between Germany and Great Britain is getting closer. As the project company for the planned 725-kilometer underwater power cable “Neuconnect” announced, contracts for the laying of the cable and the construction of converter stations worth 1.9 billion euros (1.5 billion pounds) have been awarded. With the award of the power connection, which is to connect the German transmission system in Wilhelmshaven with the British transmission system on the Hoo peninsula at the Thames estuary by the mid-2020s, the project is making “significant progress”, the project company said.
The so-called interconnector is to transport up to 1.4 gigawatts of electricity in both directions – that would be enough energy for around 1.5 million households. A consortium of investors is assuming the costs for what is currently the largest single German-British project. The French investor Meridiam, the Allianz Group and the Japanese energy supplier Kansai Electric Power are involved. The then Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke to Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the project during her farewell visit to Great Britain in early July 2021 – both countries signaled their support for the project.
Siemens Energy builds converter stations
According to a spokesman for the project company, some permits for the construction are still pending. The final financing agreement is to be reached in the coming weeks. Work is therefore expected to begin this year.
Siemens Energy was commissioned with the planning and construction of two converter stations in Great Britain and Germany. The Italian company Prysmian was awarded the contract for the cable work.