Testing has started for the world’s longest undersea electric cable before it’ll be switched online around October time. The interconnector is 720km long and will trade clean energy between the UK and Norway, where it is expected to remain in place for the next 50 years.
Some benefits of the new interconnector include the following:
- Interconnectors help to cut emissions and boost offshore wind because they allow the UK grid to share or import power depending on the supply and demand.
- 2024 will see an interconnector between the UK and Denmark.
- A cable between France and the UK will be completed next year.
- The North Sea Link undersea electric cable can carry up to 1.4GW of power, about the equivalent of a nuclear reactor.
- When there is excess power, for example on a windy day, there will be the ability to export power to Norway. On calmer days the UK can import electricity from Norwegian hydropower.