National Grid executive director Nick Winser said: “Closer integration of the markets can bring benefits to the UK in helping to balance our network.” National Grid has described the interconnection as “one of the best solutions for handling the issue of intermittency ”. The subsea cable will have a maximum two-way capacity of about 1.4GW.
“The interconnector could unlock significant economic benefits for both countries in helping to maximise the potential of both offshore and onshore wind, add to security of supply and enable a competitive market,” said National Grid and Energinet in a joint statement.
But Winser warned that regulatory considerations as well as commercial and technical matters meant the project is not a done deal. “Much needs to be done to secure a regulatory framework that will make the interconnector a commercially feasible project,” he said.
The Danish connection could present a significantly greater number of options for dealing with security of supply issues arising from high levels of intermittent renewable generation by hooking the UK into the wider northern European networks.
Denmark has electricity interconnectors with Norway, Sweden and Germany, and is building new ones to Norway and Germany. It is investigating the possibility an interconnection with the Netherlands.
Britain has power interconnectors with Ireland, France and the Netherlands, and is pondering links with Norway, Belgium and Iceland, as well as increasing the capacity of the France and Ireland cables.