Views sought on vital new electricity link for Britain
The local community on the Isle of Grain is being invited to view and comment on plans to construct a new interconnector at a series of public consultation events later this month.
The NeuConnect interconnector will create the first direct link between Germany and Great Britain, connecting two of Europe’s largest energy markets for the first time.
Around 700km of subsea cables will form an ‘invisible highway’ allowing up to 1.4GW of electricity to move in either direction, enough to power tens of millions of homes over the life of the project.
The NeuConnect interconnector will link the Isle of Grain with the Wilhelmshaven region in Germany, with subsea cables travelling through UK, Dutch and German waters.
Great Britain will benefit from a greater security of supply with the new link also helping to lower costs for consumers.
The developers of the project – an international, experienced consortium with a proven track record in delivering large-scale energy infrastructure projects – are inviting all those in the local community with an interest in the project to attend public consultation events which will take place on:
- Thursday 20 June 2019, 4-8pm
- Saturday 22 June 2019, 11am-4pm
Both events are being held at the Isle of Grain Village Hall, Chapel Road, Isle of Grain, Rochester, ME3 OBY. Both events are drop-in sessions with no need to book ahead. Members of the project team will be on hand to answer any questions.
Having been granted a GB Interconnector Licence by regulators OFGEM in August 2018, NeuConnect held an initial information event in November 2018 to display its emerging proposals to the local community, which was attended by more than 30 people.
The project is expected to create significant economic benefits, including up to £1bn worth of contracts and business opportunities available.
David Inglis, CEO of NeuConnect Britain Limited, commented:
“Our previous public information event in November was well-attended by members of the community and the overall feedback was positive. We encourage the local community to view our updated proposals and provide us with feedback to help shape our final plans.
“Our project team will be on hand to discuss our proposals and answer any questions residents may have.
“By allowing electricity to flow in either direction between Germany and Great Britain, the new link will significantly increase choice and improve competition in both markets – potentially leading to reduced electricity prices for millions of consumers.”.
NeuConnect has said that all feedback received as part of the consultation will be carefully considered and used to refine the final scheme. It anticipates submitting a planning application for the GB onshore elements of the project to Medway Council in the Summer. Separate applications will be made for the marine and German elements of the project.
NeuConnect is targeting 2023 for project completion, helping meet Great Britain and Germany’s future energy needs and delivering significant benefits for consumers, businesses and industry.
To find out more about the project, residents can contact the NeuConnect Community Engagement team via freephone on 0800 298 7040 or email neuconnect@communityfeeedback.co.uk. Further information is available at www.neuconnect-interconnector.com.