World’s Longest Subsea Interconnector Wins MMO Nod

Works associated with the laying of the undersea electricity cable between the UK and Norway have been approved by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).

The Norwegian government gave consent for the development of the longest subsea electricity interconnector in the world, in its waters in October 2014 with the Secretary of State for Climate Change, Ed Davey, commenting on its significance: “This is excellent news for both the UK and Norway. This new cable will allow the UK to import huge amounts of clean green hydroelectricity – enough to power up to 4 million homes – to back up our wind and solar power. This bolsters our energy security and will help keep consumers’ bills down. It’s a massive win-win for consumers and the climate.”

The high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable will be the first of its kind between the two countries and will enable the cross-border trading of electricity. Power may flow through the cable in either direction at different times, depending on the supply and demand in each country.

The cable will run from Hylen, in southwest Norway, to the Northumberland coast and a converter station in Blyth. Its route in UK waters is expected to be approximately 340km long and it will be buried at depths between 1m and 2m below the seabed.

The MMO considered the application, from National Grid NSN Link Limited, under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, in particular section 81, which covers submarine cables. Public consultation on the development took place in Spring 2014, with Northumberland County Counci also considering applications for land-based activities relating to the development.