UK and Norway to build world's longest undersea energy interconnector

[umbertino]

Signing in Oslo will launch construction of cable to provide power for almost 750,000 British homes by 2021

 

 

Sean Farrell

 

Thursday 26 March 2015 13.19 GMT

 

 

 

The UK and Norway are to build the world’s longest undersea interconnector – a method of linking up electricity and gas networks – to provide enough low-carbon energy for almost 750,000 British homes.

 

National Grid and Statnett, the Norwegian transmission system operator, are due to sign the ownership agreement for the 450-mile (730km) interconnector at the British embassy in Oslo, on Thursday.

 

The two-way 1400MW electricity cable will run from Blyth in Northumberland to Kvilldal, in Rogaland, on the Norwegian side. It will cost about €2bn (£1.5bn) and completion is planned for 2021.

 

The agreement with Norway will save UK households up to £3.5bn, over 25 years by importing cheaper electricity, according to an estimate by Britain’s energy regulator Ofgem.

 

Ed Davey, the energy secretary, said the deal would give Britain access to Norwegian green hydropower at the flick of a switch, to drive wind turbines in the UK when the wind was not blowing.

 

Davey said: “This is a project I have worked on with Statnett and National Grid for two years and I am delighted they’ve now made this massive investment decision.

 

“It won’t be all one-way traffic. We are in the process of investing heavily in new low-carbon generation. In the future we would expect that there will be times when our generation exceeds our demand and we are able to export clean power to Norway in return.”

 

There were fears that bad weather at Oslo international airport would prevent the British delegation from flying to the Norwegian capital for the signing, but it is now expected to go ahead.

 

Alan Foster, National Grid’s director of European business development, who will sign the deal, said: “Access to low-carbon energy from Norway hydropower stations will help us meet the challenge of greener, affordable energy.

 

“It also adds to the diversity of energy sources for UK and potentially can reduce peak prices with benefits for consumers and businesses”

 

 

Energy secretary Ed Davey said the interconnector would benefit both Britain and Norway. Photograph: Mark Thomas/Rex

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/mar/26/uk-and-norway-to-build-worlds-longest-undersea-energy-interconnector

[mrparrot]

Over two billion Euro's for an extension cord?

 

Damn...

 

I thought we were getting ripped off

when our government was paying

over a grand for a toilet seat...

[SnowGlobe7]

until a magladon comes along and snaps the line

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

 

Hey, if all else fails, we hear IRAN has nuclear power to spare/share....  

 

That's right.... hobummer built that !

[The Machine]

I cant wait for it to start ..... 1,400MW HVDC Interconnector is right up my street .... (£1.5Bn of work)

***///

 

Hey, if all else fails, we hear IRAN has nuclear power to spare/share....  

 

That's right.... hobummer built that !

 

I dont know why there saying it will supply in both directions (it could do that but will probably be 90% supply to the UK)

 

Norway gets 99% of its power generation from Hydro plants (basically free clean energy)

 

they were talking of linking it to Scotland but from wind generation alone in Scotland we create more than we need, and export the rest to England

[waterman13]

Norway is 100% hydro power if I remember correctly. That's what I used to do is power plants, dams, locks, etc.

Wm13 

[The Machine]

Norway is 100% hydro power if I remember correctly. That's what I used to do is power plants, dams, locks, etc.

Wm13 

 

They have thermal and wind generation too, that basically accounts for the 1%