A joint venture between National Grid Electricity Transmission and SP Energy Networks, the £2.5bn project will see the installation of a 196km, high-voltage, bi-directional subsea electricity cable between Torness in East Lothian in Scotland and Hawthorn Pit in County Durham.
LionLink and Nautilus are pilot projects, defined as Offshore Hybrid Assets. They would not only connect national transmission systems, but also offshore wind farms based in Dutch and Belgian territorial waters, respectively. Both potential projects are first-of-a-kind, reflecting the same technological innovation required to deliver the longest land and subsea interconnector in the world, National Grid’s Viking Link. LionLink is being developed with Dutch transmission system operator, TenneT, and Nautilus is being developed with Belgian transmission operator, Elia.
Lakeside Energy Park’s 100MW/200MWh facility is now the largest transmission connected BESS project in the UK following energisation.
The new facility will boost the capacity and flexibility of the network, helping to balance the system by soaking up surplus clean electricity and discharging it back when the grid needs it.
To ensure a safe connection, National Grid, working with its contractor Omexom, upgraded its Drax 132kV substation to accommodate the additional clean power.
The transformer, weighing 155-tonnes – the equivalent of 25 African elephants – will make its way from the Port of Tilbury on the evening of Saturday 16 November and arrive at the substation in the early hours of Sunday 17 November 2024.
Transformers play a vital role in helping to ensure the UK continues to enjoy safe and reliable energy supplies, stepping voltage up or down so electricity can be efficiently transmitted from power generators or safely distributed to homes and businesses via regional networks.
The Eastern Green Link (EGL) Collaboration Centre will bring together employees from the SSEN Transmission and National Grid Electricity Transmission Joint Venture (JV) – and the supply chain partners that they have appointed – to deliver the EGL series of electricity transmission subsea superhighways, starting with EGL2, the construction of which commenced in October.
The facility has been designed with collaboration in mind, and includes:
National Grid is currently replacing the underground cables between Dinorwig power station and the substation at Pentir. Originally installed in the 1970s, the cables comprise three circuits that connect into Dinorwig via a tunnel portal.
Starting this week (commencing 28 October), we’ll be taking delivery of the 5m diameter drums carrying around 1000m of electricity cable which we will install underground.
There will be up to three deliveries per day, with a total of 72 deliveries taking place over the coming months. Deliveries will be completed in January 2025.
Please note that to help minimise impact on local roads all of the deliveries will be happening during weekdays and during daylight hours.
A key part of these works, the undergrounding of a section of existing 400kV overhead electricity line, is now complete and energised.
National Grid will deliver two large supergrid transformers to a new East Sussex substation, which is under construction near Little Horsted, Uckfield, on Sunday 27 October 2024. The transformers will travel in convoy from Shoreham Port in Brighton to the substation, a journey of 24 miles.