NorthConnect

The NorthConnect (also known as Scotland–Norway interconnector) is a proposed 650-kilometre (400 mi) 1,400 MW HVDC interconnector over the floor of the North Sea.

Not to be confused with North Sea Link.
NorthConnect
Location
CountryNorway
Scotland
FromSamnanger, Norway
Passes throughNorth Sea
ToPeterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (preliminary)
Ownership information
OwnerNorthConnect
PartnersAgder Energi, Norway
E-CO, Norway
Lyse Energi, Norway
Vattenfall, Sweden
OperatorNorthConnect
Construction information
Construction started2019
Expected2022
Construction cost£1.3bn[1]
Technical information
Typesubmarine cable
Type of currentHVDC
Total length650 km (400 mi)
Power rating1,400 MW[2]

Interconnection

If built, it would be the first HVDC route to connect Scotland's electricity network directly to that of mainland Europe (though there are existing connections from England to mainland Europe), whereas Norway already has interconnectors to Denmark and the Netherlands, with an interconnector to Germany at the planning stage (see NORD.LINK and NorGer).[3]

Project partners

The £1.75 billion project is being developed by NorthConnect, a Norwegian company specially set up by five electricity companies (Agder Energi, E-CO, Lyse, SSE plc and Vattenfall) to advance the scheme, with 2020 as the target start date. It is hoped that the connector will assist the growth of the Norwegian and Scottish renewable energy industries.[4]

Route

The Scottish landfall is planned to be at Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, where the connector will join the National Grid. The Norwegian landfall will be Simalden at the head of the Hardangerfjord in Norway.[5]

Specification

The HVDC cable will be approximately 665km long, and have a capacity of 1400MW.[5] It is expected to cost 1.7bn Euros.[6]

Current status

On 25 March 2020, NorthConnect received a letter from the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, informing them that NorthConnect's license applications would not be processed at the present time,[7] making the future of the project unclear.

Project history

On 5 March 2013 it was announced that SSE has left the project.[8] The Norwegian government ruled that only Statnett could own export cables.[9] In 2016, Norway debates rules for export cables.[10][11]

In June 2016, Ofgem approved NorthConnect. Other approvals are still needed.[12]

The European Union put NorthConnect on the "Projects of Common Interest" list and supported its development with €10m.[1][13][14]

A 2019 analysis by the Norwegian water department indicates that the connection would be economically viable despite an increase of less than half a eurocent per kWh for Norwegian consumers.[15][16]

By 2019, the project had received all the most important marine and planning consents in the UK. Following detailed design work, it was hoped that the link will be constructed between 2019 and 2022.[17] The consortium hopes to make a final investment decision in 2020.[6]

In March 2020, the Norwegian Government placed the NorthConnect project on hold pending studies on the new UK (north of England) and German interconnectors. [18]

See also

References
  1. "UK-Norway link bags EU grant". reNEWS - Renewable Energy News. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  2. "NorthConnect Interconnector". 4C. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  3. Fyall, Jenny (29 September 2011). "Cable to Norway could be subsea 'supergrid'". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  4. Jones, Peter (29 September 2011). "Norway electricity sharing 'by 2020'". The Times Scotland. London. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  5. "What is NorthConnect?". North Connect. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  6. "NorthConnect FAQ". Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  7. "NorthConnect takes note of the OED's decision". northconnect.co.uk. NorthConnect. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  8. "UK power firm SSE pulls out of UK-Norway cable project". Reuters. 3 March 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  9. "Kabelmonopol ikke fjernet - kabelselskap frykter å bli nedprioritert". Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  10. "Konkurransetilsynet advarer mot økte kraftpriser - vil at kun Statnett skal få bygge kabler til utlandet". Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  11. "Politisk flertall for private utenlandskabler". Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  12. "Ofgem approves Scotland-Norway power cable". BBC News. 2016-06-22. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
  13. "EU funding boost for Scotland-Norway power cable". BBC News. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  14. "EU cash boost for electricity "superhighway"". Press and Journal. 25 February 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  15. "Venstre: Kommuner vil tape milliarder på kabel-nei". Tu.no (in Norwegian). Teknisk Ukeblad. 8 March 2020.
  16. Viseth, Ellen Synnøve (10 December 2019). "NVE: Ny skottlandskabel er lønnsom for Norge, men strøm og nettleie kan bli dyrere". Tu.no (in Norwegian). Teknisk Ukeblad.
  17. "How". NorthConnect. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  18. https://www.insider.co.uk/news/norway-puts-subsea-renewables-link-21779783
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