A more joined-up market would cut the risk of blackouts and could knock more than 10 per cent off electricity bills, Davey said in an interview with the Independent.
Greater interconnection is a better solution to rising household bills than Labour’s price freeze or UK shale gas exploration, he argued.
Davey told the Independent: “We need much better grid interconnectors around Europe to enable energy to flow across the EU: connecting the UK with mainland Europe and different parts of the periphery of Europe with central Europe. We need Eastern and Central Europe to be better connected with Germany and France and we need the Iberian peninsula to be better connected through France.”
His remarks echoed National Grid executive director Nick Winser’s comments to Utility Week in November, following the network company’s half year results. Winser said there was “massive value” in building interconnectors to Europe.
National Grid expects to make final investment decisions on new power cables to France, Belgium and Norway in the next two years. It is also considering links to Ireland, Denmark and Iceland.