Ofgem has approved updated delivery dates and early investment for three connectivity ‘superhighways’.

Eastern Green Link 3 (EGL3) and Eastern Green Link 4 (EGL4) are two proposed subsea cables which would each provide 2GW of capacity to transport electricity generated from British offshore wind between Scotland and England via a network of onshore and offshore cables, and another proposed project GWNC, plans a new onshore 400Kv electricity link between Grimsby and Walpole in Lincolnshire, to help transport the energy to consumers.

The proposed projects involve building high-capacity, electricity transmission links, with the additional capacity provided by the links also reducing payments made to windfarms to switch off, when there’s no capacity to transport their energy on the grid. A Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) by NESO indicated the projects are expected to deliver a value of £3-6bn.

Ofgem has also approved early construction and preconstruction funding (ECF and PCF) for EGL3 and EGL4, which will enable for the projects to proceed with enabling works such as strategic land purchases, surveys, design work and procurement of sought after components, equipment and materials.

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