The opening ceremony took place in the northern city of Wilhelmshaven, with the participation of the German Minister of Economy Robert Habeck and the British Secretary of State for Trade Policy Gregory Hands.
The project, entitled ‘NeuConecct’, will contribute to decarbonization and security of energy supply across national borders, Habeck said at the ceremony.
The line will be 193 kilometers long within Germany and will cross the territory of the Netherlands before passing through the North Sea with undersea cables, the sides confirmed, with commissioning scheduled for 2028.
The more interconnected Europe is, the larger the network, the more efficiently the system can be operated and controlled, Habeck argued. According to calculations, surplus wind energy in the German portion of the North Sea could be exported to the UK via the undersea cable.
NeuConnect Chairwoman Julia Prescot confirmed that the investment costs of almost three billion euros will be allocated by an international consortium.
Participants include French investor Meridiam, the Allianz Group and Japanese energy suppliers Kansai Electric Power and Tepco, as well as a consortium of over 20 banks.
‘NeuConnect will be able to transport up to 1.4 Gigawatts (GW) of electricity in both directions, the project company explained.
The cable will connect the German transmission grid in Wilhelmshaven with the British transmission grid on the Isle of Grain in the English county of Kent at the mouth of the Thames.
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