Benefits

The fully-financed £2.4bn / €2.8bn interconnector scheme will create the first direct link between the British and German electricity networks. Connecting two of Europe’s largest energy markets for the first time will offer a more diverse and sustainable supply, offering much needed resilience, security and flexibility in each market.

By allowing up to 1.4GW of electricity to flow in either direction between Germany and Britain, the new link will significantly increase choice and competition in each market. This could lead to millions of consumers and businesses benefitting from reduced electricity prices.

The investment in proven, reliable high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology offers British and German networks greater efficiency and flexibility to deal with the changing demands of industry, businesses and consumers.

The vital new link will create an ‘invisible highway’ to carry 1.4GW of electricity, enough to power up to 1.5 million homes over the life of the project.

The delivery of the project will also create significant economic benefits with more than £1.5bn worth of major contracts awarded, helping to create a range of supply chain and business opportunities. The project will support hundreds of jobs during construction, allowing British and German workers to demonstrate their expertise in a growing global industry. Further jobs will also be created once the new connection becomes operational.

725km of land and subsea cables will connect converter stations which in turn connect to substations at Fedderwarden in the Wilhelmshaven region in Germany and on the Isle of Grain in Kent, England. 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 MtCO2 over 25 years.

The new connection will allow Britain to tap into the vast energy infrastructure in Germany, including its significant renewable energy sources as the world’s third largest producer of wind power. In the German market, the new link with Britain will help ease current bottlenecks where wind turbines are frequently powered-down due to an excess of renewable energy being created. While the initial flow of surplus renewables is expected to be from Germany into Britain, the interconnector will allow energy to flow in either direction. The flexibility of the new link therefore offers significant benefits on both sides.

NeuConnect reached financial close in 2022, allowing major construction work to begin in 2023. NeuConnect is targeting 2028 for project completion, helping meet British and Germany’s future energy needs and delivering significant benefits for consumers, businesses and industry.