The £2.4-billion/€2.8-billion NeuConnect project – a vital new energy link between two of Europe’s largest energy markets – reached another important milestone today as Prysmian Group began the production of more than 725km of cabling that will help to create the first direct energy link between the UK and Germany.
By connecting Germany and Great Britain, the project will promote the integration of renewable energy sources, resulting in a net reduction in carbon emissions of 13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over 25 years.
Led by global investors Meridiam, Allianz Capital Partners and Kansai Electric Power, NeuConnect is a privately-financed interconnector that will form an ‘invisible energy highway’ between the UK and Germany.
As one of the world’s largest interconnector projects, 725km of land and subsea cables will allow up to 1.4GW of electricity to flow in either direction between the UK and Germany, enough to power up to 1.5 million homes over the life of the project.
Prysmian Group – a world leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry – were appointed earlier this year to design, manufacture, install, test and commission the 725km NeuConnect link, with Siemens Energy awarded the contract to design and build two converter stations in the UK and Germany.
With NeuConnect reaching Financial Close with a global consortium of banks in July, the Prysmian and NeuConnect teams have made rapid progress over the last three months with the production of 725km of cabling now underway at Prysmian’s factory in Arco Felice, Italy.
With cable production now underway, and other initial works due to start later this year, NeuConnect and the Prysmian and Siemens teams are firmly on track for the start of major construction in 2023.
NeuConnect CEO Arnaud Grévoz said: “The start of cabling production is another key milestone for NeuConnect and, just three months after reaching Financial Close, demonstrates the strong progress we are continuing to make on this vital new energy link.
“With cable production underway, we are firmly on track to start major construction in 2023, bringing the first UK-German energy link an important step closer.”
The NeuConnect interconnector will see two new converter stations built on the Isle of Grain in Kent, England and the Wilhelmshaven region in Lower Saxonia, northern Germany, connected by 725km of land and subsea cables travelling through British, Dutch and German waters.
Works will start on site in the UK and Germany later this year, with major construction to lay subsea cables and build converter stations starting in 2023. NeuConnect will be operational by 2028.