There are currently eight active electricity
interconnector
An interconnector (also known as a DC tie in the USA) is a structure which enables high voltage DC electricity to flow between electrical grids. An electrical interconnector allows electricity to flow between separate AC networks, or to link sy ...
s operating in the United Kingdom. They have a total capacity of 8.4 GW. A further seven interconnectors with a capacity of 11.1 GW are proposed or under construction, bringing the total potential capacity to 19.5 GW.
The rise of UK interconnection
During 2021 interconnectors provided 28TWh of electricity to the UK, which equates to 10% of total demand, whilst in 2009 this figure was 7TWh.
Interconnectors allow the trade of electricity between countries with excess renewable generation and those with high demand. Interconnectors play a key part in balancing variable
renewable generation, for example the
North Sea Link
The North Sea Link is a 1,400MW high-voltage direct current submarine power cable between Norway and the United Kingdom.
At it is the longest subsea interconnector in the world. The cable became operational on 1 October 2021.
Route
The cable ...
allows the UK to export excess power to
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
during windy periods to conserve Norwegian hydro stocks and import Norwegian
hydro power
Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of a w ...
on less windy days.
During 2022 the UK exported record amounts of power to mainland Europe, helping to alleviate the effects of the war in
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
on European security of supply.
List of interconnectors
See also
*
*
List of active gas fired power stations in the United Kingdom
There are currently 32 active gas fired combined cycle power plants operating in the United Kingdom, which have a total generating capacity of 28.0 GW.
Decline of gas for power in the United Kingdom
In 2016 gas fired power stations generated a ...
References
{{reflist
Electric power infrastructure in the United Kingdom
electricity interconnectors