Ofgem has granted a licence for the Northconnect electricity interconnector between Great Britain (Peterhead Substation, Boddam, Aberdeenshire) and Norway (Sima Substation, Eidfjord).
The NorthConnect is a proposed 650-kilometre 1,400 MW HVDC interconnector over the floor of the North Sea.
Joint venture partners in the Northconnect project are Agder Energi, E-CO, Lyse and Vattenfall AB.
Commenting on Ofgem approval, WWF Scotland director Lang Banks , said: “If the UK and the rest of Europe are to move to a 100 per cent renewable future then greater use of interconnectors is a sensible way forward.
“Sharing different renewable resources between nations would help drive down climate emissions much faster than relying on domestic action alone. However, it shouldn’t be an excuse for any country to halt the development their own renewable capacity.
“A European-wide ‘supergrid’ would also bring the double benefits of security of supply and a reduced need to build lots of expensive new nuclear or fossil fuel power stations.”
NorthConnect is scheduled to start operating from 2022.