'Historic' milestone for Scotland's £3.4bn electricity 'superhighway' is reached

Construction on the £3.4 billion project running from Aberdeenshire to North Yorkshire has officially started

It is an electricity “superhighway” that will extend further than 300 miles and become the longest high voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable anywhere in the UK.

Now a major milestone has officially been reached on the Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2), with groundworks officially starting on the transmission cable that will extend from Peterhead in Scotland to Drax in Yorkshire.

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Once completed, the £3.4 billion development will be the UK's single biggest electricity transmission project.

And construction has now started in the wake of energy regulator Ofgem approving the project - a joint venture between SSEN and the National Grid - in August.

SSEN Transmission workers, as well as other partners, break ground on the project in Peterhead. Picture: SSEN TransmissionSSEN Transmission workers, as well as other partners, break ground on the project in Peterhead. Picture: SSEN Transmission
SSEN Transmission workers, as well as other partners, break ground on the project in Peterhead. Picture: SSEN Transmission | SSEN Transmission

A ceremony was held late last month to mark the start of construction, with spadefuls of earth pulled up at separate events at either end of the project held in Aberdeenshire and North Yorkshire.

Representatives from key supply chain partners were in attendance. Employees from Prysmian, which will manufacture and install the cable, and Hitachi Energy and BAM, which are jointly supplying convertor stations at either end of the link, were involved.

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It comes with SSEN having been unveiled as the headline sponsor for next month’s Scotsman conference on energy transition and green skills.

The EGL2 project, branded as a “superhighway” by Ofgem, will ultimately be capable of powering two million homes. The cable is expected to be operational by 2029.

The project will connect Peterhead in Aberdeenshire to Drax in North Yorkshire. Picture: SSENThe project will connect Peterhead in Aberdeenshire to Drax in North Yorkshire. Picture: SSEN
The project will connect Peterhead in Aberdeenshire to Drax in North Yorkshire. Picture: SSEN | SSEN

Gregor Alexander, chair of SSEN Transmission’s board, described the moment for the infrastructure project as “ground-breaking”.

“[It is] testament to a huge collective effort from the project teams at SSEN Transmission and NGET who have worked tirelessly to get us to a stage where construction work can begin,” he said.

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“EGL2 will play a major role in bolstering energy security and contributing to net zero targets, but it will also generate jobs and provide a legacy to local communities here in the north-east of Scotland, where our teams are already supporting local environmental initiatives.

“We are committed to working alongside the local community throughout the lifetime of the project and beyond, as we aim to be a positive force in the communities we operate.”

Most of the interconnector cable, which will move two gigawatts of electricity between Scotland and England, will be laid under the North Sea, with the remainder to be installed underground onshore.

Ofgem has approved the 3.4 billion pound electricity "super highway" between Scotland and England in the biggest single investment for electricity transmission infrastructure in Britain. Picture: Anna Gowthorpe/PA WireOfgem has approved the 3.4 billion pound electricity "super highway" between Scotland and England in the biggest single investment for electricity transmission infrastructure in Britain. Picture: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Wire
Ofgem has approved the 3.4 billion pound electricity "super highway" between Scotland and England in the biggest single investment for electricity transmission infrastructure in Britain. Picture: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Wire | PA

Akshay Kaul, Ofgem director general for Infrastructure Group, described the earth-moving ceremony as “historic”.

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He said: “Not only is construction starting on EGL2, Britain’s biggest ever electricity transmission project, but we’re also standing here two years earlier than we might have been thanks to Ofgem’s fast track new process, which cuts red tape to get consumers across the country connected to renewable energy more quickly.

“Harnessing home-grown clean energy will help build a secure energy future for Britain, and projects like EGL2 are pivotal in our move towards that.

“The part Scotland plays in achieving that goal cannot be overstated, and the long-term gains for Scottish billpayers, in terms of secure, more affordable, and cleaner power will be reaped for generations to come.”

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