NeuConnect sets out ‘busiest year yet’ as project celebrates 7^th anniversary

This week marks the 7^th anniversary since NeuConnect Britain Ltd was established to deliver a vital new energy link between the UK and Germany – the anniversary comes as NeuConnect has set out a series of construction milestones and key activities taking place in 2025 in what will be the project’s busiest year so far.

Led by global investors Meridiam, Allianz Capital Partners, Kansai Electric Power and TEPCO, NeuConnect will be one of the world’s largest interconnectors with 725km of land and subsea cables forming an ‘invisible energy highway’ to connect two of Europe’s largest energy markets for the first time. The new link will allow 1.4GW of electricity to flow in either direction, helping to boost energy security while also supporting Net Zero and Clean Power 2030 goals by helping to integrate renewable energy sources in the UK and Germany.

Since NeuConnect Britain Ltd was first established in February 2018 (followed by sister company NeuConnect Deutschland GmbH & Co) the project has moved at significant pace, progressing from a ‘line on a map’ to a £2.4bn / €2.8bn Financial Close in just a few short years, and with major construction starting soon afterwards. The year ahead will see continued progress with a series of milestones and activities across all aspects of the project including:

Converter Stations construction

• NeuConnect will see new converter stations built on the Isle of Grain in Kent and the Wilhelmshaven region in northern Germany
• In the UK, piling works to form the foundations of the Converter Station are now nearing completion by contractor Siemens Energy, and will allow the above-ground construction of the Converter Station super-structure to begin later this year
• Following the start of major construction in Germany last summer, piling works on the new Converter Station are also making strong progress and are due for completion this Spring

Cabling works

• In late 2024, the first phase of cabling works was completed by main contractor Prysmian, with a total of 56km of cabling installed on-land and in UK waters – an important symbolic moment as the first direct energy link between the UK and Germany starts to take shape
• The year ahead will see cabling works resume and accelerate, with Prysmian’s iconic Leonardo da Vinci cable laying vessel (one of the biggest in the world) arriving in UK waters this summer to begin laying the next sections of subsea cabling

Equipment manufacturing

• The 725km of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cables needed to form the NeuConnect link are being manufactured at Prysmian’s factory in Arco Felice, Italy, together with some sections of cabling being produced in Japan by sub-contractor Sumitomo
• By Summer, manufacturing is expected to reach a key milestone with over half of the 725km of cables due to have been produced – this will support the acceleration of NeuConnect’s huge cabling programme that will continue through UK, Dutch and German waters into 2027
• Vital equipment and components for NeuConnect’s UK and German Converter stations are being manufactured at Siemens Energy’s factories in Nürnberg, Germany, with the production of all of the transformers needed for the project expected to be completed this later this year

Community benefits

• With major construction works ramping up, NeuConnect also remains committed to being a good neighbour to the local communities in which the project is being delivered, with the NeuConnect Community Fund established to provide financial support to local projects and initiatives
• Funding has already been awarded to a range of initiatives in Germany and the UK, including repairs to community buildings, work experience programmes, and summer programmes for local schoolchildren
• Further funding to a series of new projects will be awarded in 2025, with NeuConnect now assessing a wide range of applications from local groups, businesses and initiatives in Germany and the UK

Julia Prescot, Chair of NeuConnect said:

“From major construction and subsea cabling, through to busy factories and thriving community projects, 2025 will be NeuConnect’s busiest year yet. The ambitious clean energy plans set out by the UK and German Governments show there is no time to lose in the race to Net Zero and NeuConnect has a key role to play, so we will accelerate works over the year ahead to keep up the momentum on this vital new energy link.”

NeuConnect is expected to be operational by 2028. For further information on the NeuConnect project, please visit neuconnect-interconnector.com