| Work Detail |
The £2.4bn/€2.8bn NeuConnect project has reached another key milestone this week with a first phase of cabling works now completed on-land and in UK waters – an important symbolic moment as the first direct energy link between the UK and Germany starts to take shape.
Led by global investors Meridiam, Allianz Capital Partners, Kansai Electric Power and TEPCO, NeuConnect will become one of the world’s largest interconnectors – new converter stations on the Isle of Grain in Kent and Wilhelmshaven in northern Germany will be connected by 725km of land and subsea cables to form an ‘invisible energy highway’, connecting two of Europe’s largest energy markets for the first time. The new link will allow 1.4GW of electricity – enough to power up to 1.5 million homes – to flow in either direction, helping to boost energy security while also helping to integrate renewable energy sources in the UK and Germany.
NeuConnect started major construction in 2023 with foundation works on the new UK converter station now at the height of activity, and with piling works also starting on the new German converter station. As NeuConnect continues in its 2nd year of major construction, the project has now reached another key milestone with contractor Prysmian starting cabling works in the UK which includes:
First phase of cabling completed ahead of works accelerating in 2025.
The first phase of UK onshore and subsea works has now been completed at NeuConnect’s Isle of Grain site in Kent (further details below). Cabling installation will now pause over the winter period and then accelerate later in 2025, with NeuConnect’s huge cabling programme continuing through UK, Dutch and German waters into 2027
More than 50km of onshore and subsea cabling installed
Prysmian’s ‘Cable Enterprise’ vessel has been laying subsea cabling in UK waters, with cables buried beneath the seabed for protection and to minimise any impacts on the marine environment. Alongside this, the first phase of cabling has also included ‘pull in’ works, with subsea cables brought through a series of new underground ducts on the Isle of Grain coastline onto NeuConnect’s onshore site. Through a combination of onshore and subsea works, a total of 56km of cabling has now been installed in this phase of works.
An investment in proven cabling technology
NeuConnect will install 525 kV High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cables throughout, with HVDC cabling offering a proven, reliable technology that (once NeuConnect is completed in 2028) will help to create a secure and highly efficient connection between the UK and German energy networks
Chair of NeuConnect Julia Prescot said: “Completing this first phase of cabling is a major milestone for NeuConnect and an important symbolic moment for the UK and Germany as a major new energy link between both countries begins to take shape. As one of the world’s longest interconnectors, this phase of works is very much a first stage in a much longer 725km cabling marathon – we are pleased to have reached this important milestone but are not complacent about the scale of works to be completed, and close working with our industry partners will be crucial in keeping this vital new energy link firmly on track.” |
