UK-German NeuConnect interconnector proceeds with construction

NeuConnect will connect two of Europe’s largest energy markets for the first time

Construction is underway on the €2.8 billion ($3.1 billion) NeuConnect project, which is considered to become one of the world’s largest interconnectors once complete.

NeuConnect is led by investors Meridiam, Allianz Capital Partners, Kansai Electric Power and TEPCO.

The project will include 725km of land and subsea cables being laid between the UK and Germany, allowing up to 1.4GW of electricity to flow in either direction.

It’s considered to be an essential energy link connecting two of Europe’s largest energy markets for the first time.

NeuConnect reached Financial Close in July 2022 and since then site surveys and archaeological activities have been carried out.

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Work is now underway across the NeuConnect project, including:

• Onshore drilling: NeuConnect’s cabling contractor Prysmian is starting Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) works on the Isle of Grain site in the UK. The HDD works will allow the subsea cables to be brought on-land, and have been selected for the UK site to help minimise the impact on the surface and to the local environment.
• UK Converter station works: further inland from the HDD works in the UK, NeuConnect’s contractor Siemens Energy has now started works on attenuation ponds and the construction of a main access road that will link to the new electricity converter station. The construction of the UK converter station will start next year.
• Offshore surveys: Alongside onshore works, ‘pre-installation’ offshore survey works are now underway to prepare the route for subsea cables to be installed in the future. The first phase of subsea cable installation will start next year.
• Cabling production: Separate to the major works now underway in the UK, the production of 725km of cabling is now well underway at Prysmian’s factory in Arco Felice, Italy and Sumitomo’s factory in Osaka, Japan.
• Site works in Germany: Work is making good progress on an access road that will connect to the new converter station in Wilhelmshaven, Lower Saxony, northern Germany. Major construction in Germany will start early next year.

NeuConnect is expected to be operational by 2028 and will deliver a net reduction in carbon emissions of over 13MtCO2 over 25 years.

Miguel Berger, German ambassador to the United Kingdom, said: “NeuConnect is a key project to support Germany and the UK in achieving their climate targets and to boost energy security. It is the largest Anglo-German infrastructure project and will enable us to share excess power – preventing renewable energy from being wasted.

“NeuConnect’s 725km power highway will be the first direct energy link between the UK and Germany. With construction underway in Kent, and major construction due to start early next year in Wilhelmshaven at the German end, speedy progress can be expected.”

Originally published on Power Engineering International.