Ofgem sanctions a significant investment for the construction of a high voltage power cable from Scotland to England, aimed at enhancing the distribution of clean electricity and supporting the UK’s wind power targets.
Ofgem has sanctioned a £3.4 billion investment for the construction of an “electricity superhighway”, a high voltage power cable aimed at transporting clean electricity from Scotland to approximately two million homes in England. The route will stretch from Peterhead in Aberdeenshire to Drax in North Yorkshire, with the project’s completion slated for 2029. This decision marks a significant step in the UK’s efforts to bolster its wind power capacity, ensuring that electricity generated by wind farms can be distributed efficiently to areas in need, particularly addressing current grid congestion issues that lead to wind farm shutdowns.
The 500-kilometre cable is designed to facilitate a more consistent flow of electricity from wind farms, reducing the need to compensate these farms when they are forced to idle due to capacity constraints. This issue has seen wind farms receive nearly £50 million in March alone for shutdowns. The investment in the cable forms part of an overarching strategy by Ofgem to connect future wind farm projects across the UK, directly supporting the government’s target of achieving 50 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030.
This project follows a previously approved £2 billion cable between East Lothian and County Durham and is among 26 critical projects identified by Ofgem to meet the country’s wind energy goals. The regulator’s approval promises not just to mitigate current inefficiencies in energy distribution but also to offer long-term benefits to consumers. These include a projected saving of £2.1 billion by decreasing payments to dormant wind farms and enhancing the country’s energy security through a more robust electricity network.
Rebecca Barnett, Ofgem’s director of major projects, underscored the importance of this expansion in meeting future energy demands and progressing towards the UK’s net-zero objectives. While these developments will initially be funded by developers, they are expected to deliver widespread advantages to households and businesses, contributing to a transition towards a more sustainable energy landscape.
