Major UK-Dutch power line approved

‘LionLink’ power line to carry 1.8GW of electricity between the UK and the Netherlands using offshore wind farms in the North Sea. 

National Grid Ventures (NGV) is working with Dutch transmission operator TenneT on the scheme. 

The power line will be the largest of its kind, delivering four times as much energy as its predecessor, Kassø-Frøslev (Kriegers Flag), which carries 0.4GW between Germany and Denmark. 

The development stage has now begun, with a final investment decision expected to be made in 2026. 

LionLink is expected to be fully operational in the UK by 2030. 

Full Scope 

The UK has an existing interconnector capacity of 8.4GW, the new power line will increase that by up to a fifth. 

LionLink aims to: 

• Power 1.8 million homes in the UK with affordable energy. 
• Reduce the impact of infrastructure on coastal communities. 
• Reduce the impact of infrastructure on North Sea wildlife. 
• Bring £20 billion of investment a year into UK coastal regions. 
• Create 40,000 skilled green jobs.

The link will connect the Dutch and UK grid with subsea cables that will also connect to a Dutch offshore wind farm via an offshore converter platform owned by TenneT. 

UK-Dutch Partnership

The power line will be the second connection between both energy markets. 

The BritNed interconnector was introduced in 2011 and played a crucial role in energy security in Winter 2022.

The decision to build LionLink was proposed by the UK at the North Sea Summit in Belgium yesterday. 

“I’m proud to have the best of UK energy firms and organisations with me, flying the flag for British business and demonstrating our world-leading expertise in cleaner, cheaper and secure renewable technologies – helping deliver on one of our five priorities to grow the economy,” said Grant Shapps, the energy security secretary. 

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