First UK-Germany energy link stays on track with construction ramping up

Prysmian has begun horizontal directional drilling (HDD) works that will allow the subsea cables for the first-ever energy link between the UK and Germany to be brought on land.

Led by global investors Meridiam, Allianz Capital Partners, Kansai Electric Power and TEPCO, NeuConnect will become one of the world’s largest interconnectors with around 725 kilometers of land and subsea cables forming an energy highway between the UK and Germany.

The project will see the construction of new converter stations on the Isle of Grain in Kent, England, and the Wilhelmshaven region in Lower Saxony, northern Germany, connected by subsea cables traveling through British, Dutch and German waters.

Main contractors Prysmian and Siemens Energy began construction works in the UK over the summer. Now, Prysmian has constructed the first HDD pits at the Isle of Grain, with the HDD rig being set up and drilling to start shortly, targeting HDD works in the UK to be completed by the end of the year.

Further inland from these works, Siemens Energy is “making good progress” on the site of a new electricity converter station. The platform for the new converter station is nearly completed which will connect to a main access road where work is well underway.

The first of two attenuation ponds has also been fully excavated, with work on the second pond starting shortly. The construction of the UK converter station is set to start next year.

In addition to construction works in the UK, site works in Germany are also making good progress with work nearing completion on an access road that will connect to the new converter station in Wilhelmshaven and preliminary groundworks also underway.

According to NeuConnect, major construction in Germany will start early next year.

“We have continued to make good progress since major construction work started over the summer, and these new aerial photos offer an early glimpse of the NeuConnect project beginning to take shape. With works well underway in Germany and the UK, the delivery of this vital new energy link remains firmly on track,” said NeuConnect CEO Arnaud Grévoz.

Construction on NeuConnect commenced in mid-July. The €2.8 billion project, which will allow up to 1.4 GW of electricity to flow in either direction, is expected to be operational by 2028.