DETROIT – Undersea electricity cables could become increasingly common as governments drive their energy strategies towards renewables. As countries develop their wind and solar power industries, there will be a greater incentive to build undersea cables that can promote power-sharing across regions.
The first of many new major cables is set to be built between the U.K. and Germany at an anticipated cost of $1.95 billion. The NeuConnect project will allow for 1.4 GW of electricity to go to and from the two countries through subsea cables covering a distance of over 450 miles. The project has been dubbed an “invisible energy highway”, allowing for power-sharing across the U.K. and Germany. The cable will run from the Isle of Grain in Kent in England with the German region of Wilhelmshaven, crossing British, Dutch, and German waters. Once constructed, it could provide power for up to 1.5 million homes.
The approved contracts include work on the cables and converter stations, with both Siemens and Prysmian winning contracts for work on the project. Siemens will supply a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system, while Italian cable manufacturer, the Prysmian Group, will manage the design, manufacture, installation, testing, and commissioning of the NeuConnect Interconnector.
Construction is expected to start this year, allowing for the U.K. to “tap into the vast energy infrastructure in Germany, including its significant renewable energy sources.” In addition, “the new link with Britain will help ease current bottlenecks where wind turbines are frequently powered-down due to an excess of renewable energy being created.”
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