Danish power cable manufacturer and installation firm NKT has signed the firm contract for the Eastern Green Link 3 (EGL3) offshore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnector between Scotland and England, said to be the largest contract for a single cable project in company history.
With a value of over €2.2 billion, the contract will see NKT deliver a turnkey scope to design, manufacture, and install a 525 kV HVDC power cable system with a route length of around 680 kilometers, including onshore and offshore cable sections.
The project is being developed by a joint venture (JV) of UK grid owners National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) and SSEN Transmission, which will manage the civil works for the project.
The 2 GW link will run between Longside in Aberdeenshire and Walpole in Norfolk. Construction of EGL3 is proposed to start in 2029, with the aim of the link being fully operational by 2033.
Hitachi Energy has also been confirmed as the delivery partner for HVDC converter stations in Scotland and England.
“Signing the contract for EGL3 is a significant milestone for NKT and for the reinforcement of Great Britain’s power system. We are very proud to take this important step with National Grid and SSEN Transmission,” said Claes Westerlind , President and CEO of NKT.
“It further strengthens our long-term collaboration and reflects the trust our partners place in NKT as we work together to advance the UK’s energy transition. With our proven expertise in HVDC technology, we look forward to delivering the power cable system that will reinforce the grid and support a cleaner, more reliable energy supply in the future.”