National Grid says 2.6TWh of power has been transported across its five electricity interconnectors in January – a new record for the month.
Between 1-29 January, the company’s five subsea cables connecting Britain with France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Norway, have transported almost 12% more power than the same period last year, at an average of 91GWh per day. That figure is 39% higher than in January 2021.
The company said GB interconnector capacity reached its highest level this month, after its IFA link to France returned to full service on 27 January after being severely damaged by fire in September 2021.
Britain now has 8.4GW of interconnector capacity, with National Grid’s portfolio totalling 6.4GW – enough to power around 6.5 million homes.
Managing director of National Grid Interconnectors, Nicola Medalova, said: “We’ve seen this winter that interconnectors are supporting security of supply in both Britain and the EU by doing exactly what they were designed to do, move large volumes of power quickly to where it’s needed most.
“Our interconnectors help to make Britain’s energy system more secure, enabling system operators to access electricity at the flick of a switch to respond to sudden changes in demand and supply.
“As we move toward a zero-carbon economy, the cooperation with our neighbours that we have seen this winter will be increasingly important, which is why it’s so wonderful to see such strong performance in a difficult period.”