You may see us out in your area as we undertake on-site surveys. The purpose of our surveys is to ensure we better understand the local area and gather the information we require to progress our technical and environmental assessments.
To help us understand the local area and identify any potential impacts, we need to carry out a range of surveys and assessments, using different items of plant and equipment. We are continuing to work with landowners to seek the necessary access agreements to undertake and complete these surveys as quickly as possible.
Where land ownership is unclear, we may place notices on or near land to help identify the relevant landowners. This allows us to contact the right people and discuss access for survey work where required.
Marine surveys
Please see below our indicative schedule for marine surveys.
| Date | Survey | Location | Description |
| Autumn 2026 | Nearshore Geotechnical Surveys | Caernarfon Bay, Wales Troon, Scotland Girvan, Scotland | Nearshore geotechnical surveys collect information about the ground beneath the seabed close to the cable landing areas. Boreholes, ground testing and soil or rock samples are used to understand the strength and composition of the ground. This information supports the design and safe installation of the cable where it approaches the coast. |
| Autumn 2026 | Offshore Geotechnical Surveys | Survey corridor from the Firth of Clyde, Scotland to Caernarfon Bay, Wales | Offshore geotechnical surveys use seabed testing and sampling equipment to investigate ground conditions along the proposed cable route. The surveys help confirm the types and strength of seabed materials and identify conditions that could affect cable burial, installation and protection. |
| Autumn 2026 | Benthic Environmental Surveys | Offshore and nearshore survey corridor between Ayrshire, Scotland to Caernarfon Bay, Wales | Benthic environmental surveys collect small samples from the seabed to understand the sediments, habitats and marine organisms present. The results support environmental assessments and help the project plan the cable route and installation activities in a way that minimises potential effects on the marine environment. |
Our stage 1 consultation closed in July 2026. Thank you to everyone who engaged with the consultation and shared their feedback.
We are now reviewing all the feedback received, alongside the findings from our environmental surveys and technical assessments. This work will help inform the development of our proposals.
We expect to hold a Stage 2 consultation in 2027. During this consultation, we will present our more developed proposals and explain how feedback received during the Stage 1 consultation has been considered, alongside the results of our environmental surveys and technical assessments
Our Stage 1 consultation materials remain available to view in the Document Library.
Our proposals
Western Link 2 will transport electricity via a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea cable from Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland, to a landfall location on the Gwynedd coastline.
From there, underground HVDC cables would route and connect to a proposed converter station near Pentir substation. The new converter station would then be connected to National Grid’s existing Pentir substation via a new High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) cable connection.
The project is being jointly developed by National Grid and SP Energy Networks, with each company leading on different elements of the project.
For our Stage 1 consultation we asked for your views on the Welsh elements of the project. SP Energy Networks is responsible for the Scottish elements of the project and carried out its first
consultation in November 2025.
At this stage we sought feedback on the following offshore, nearshore and onshore elements of the project:
• approximately 195 km of new offshore HVDC cable, starting from the southern limit of Scottish territorial seas to the limit of Welsh nearshore area
• approximately 65 km of new HVDC cable within the Welsh nearshore area, to a new underground transition joint bay
at a landfall location on the Gwynedd coastline, at Caernarfon Bay
• a new underground transition joint bay at a location on the Gwynedd coastline, at Caernarfon Bay, where the new offshore HVDC cable will connect to the new onshore HVDC cable
• three options for potential landfall locations on the Gwynedd coastline (with one emerging preferred option identified)
• a new underground HVDC cable route of approximately 25 km from a landfall location on the Gwynedd coastline to a new converter station (presented as a ‘graduated swathe’ with the darker shaded area showing our preferred emerging cable route)
• two siting zone options for a new converter station in close proximity to the existing Pentir substation (with an emerging
preference for Pentir East zone), including a new short length of underground HVAC cable connection from the converter station to the existing Pentir substation
• an extension to the existing Pentir substation, for the purposes of connecting Western Link 2 to the existing transmission
network in Wales.
You can find more information in our Stage 1 consultation document, which remains available to view here and in our document library.
Interactive map
You can view our proposals on our interactive map here, which shows our proposals as a whole.
The Great Grid Upgrade
The Great Grid Upgrade is the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations. Across Wales and England, our projects are helping to connect more affordable sources of home grown and renewable energy to homes and businesses.
As the UK moves away from fossil fuels, we will all rely on electricity more than ever before. The demand for electricity is set to double by 2050 as the way we power our homes, businesses, industry and transport changes. We need to upgrade the grid now to ensure we can meet this increasein demand.
In Wales, the Great Grid Upgrade will deliver the infrastructure needed to meet this challenge. Projects such as the Pentir to Trawsfynydd reinforcement and Western Link 2, will modernise and strengthen the transmission network.
Through projects like these the Great Grid Upgrade will allow more clean, home grown energy to be carried from where it is generated, to where it is needed.
By enabling more renewable electricity produced in Wales and across the UK to flow across the network, the Great Grid Upgrade will support cleaner energy for communities in every part of Wales, while improving energy security and reducing
reliance on imported power.
This investment will also bring benefits closer to home. Delivering major new energy infrastructure will support local economies, create jobs, provide new skills opportunities and represent long term investment in communities across Wales. A modern, resilient grid is essential to securing a cleaner, more affordable and reliable energy system for the future.
Contact us
If you have any questions about our proposals for Western Link 2, please get in touch.
- Call our Community Helpline: 0800 156 0706 (Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am-5:30pm).
- Email us: [email protected]
- Write to us: FREEPOST W LINK 2 (no stamp or further address details are required)