British wind power vs Norwegian hydropower. Oslo and London have announced the laying of the world’s longest submarine electric cable. Being 720 kilometers long (including 716 underwater) at an estimated cost of between 1.5 and 2 billion euros, the North Sea Link would pass under the North Sea to Süldl in the south-west of the Scandinavian country of Blyth (of Newcastle) in England. near). , thus strengthening the security of the electricity supply of both countries. “When the wind blows strong in England and there is more wind power production there, we can buy cheap electricity from the British in Norway and release the water into our reservoirs”, explained Thor Anders Neumedl, Project Manager at Statenet . .

“When there is little wind and there is a growing need for electricity in England, they will be able to buy hydropower from us in return,” he said in a statement. The capacity of the new cable is about 1,400 MW. The connection between the two sections on the British side and the Norwegian side was made late on Monday evening. According to two groups, the site had its share of technical challenges, most notably being forced to build a special barge to pass cables under Norwegian Lake or to drill a 2,300-metre tunnel.

>> Read also – Discover the most powerful wind turbine in the world

“This is an important collaboration between the UK and Norway to make the most of our renewable energy resources,” said Nigel Williams, project manager for UK operator National Grid, which forms Statenet, which accounts for 50% of the project. In the ranking of the longest submarine electric cable, the North Sea Link, whose testing should begin on 1 October, last month inaugurated the Nordlink (623 km, including 516 underwater) between Norway and Germany.

>> Our Service – Save money on your electricity and gas bills with our energy comparator

Already connected to France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland, the United Kingdom is planning other interconnections with countries on the continent, especially thanks to a new submarine cable connecting it to Denmark, the Viking Link (765). km, including 621 underwater). Its construction should be completed by the end of 2023.