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Subsea cables to become first direct energy link between UK & Germany

Date: April 14, 2022 Meghna Singh Meghna Singh
Subsea cables to become first direct energy link between UK & Germany 
Key contracts worth over £1.5 billion (US$1.95 billion) have reportedly been awarded for a key interconnector project that would link the United Kingdom and Germany together, as nations across the world try to consolidate their energy security in the face of the ongoing Ukraine crisis.



The project, dubbed NeuConnect, is centered around the subject of large undersea cables, which would transport 1.4 gigawatts of energy both ways between two of Europe's largest economies, Germany and the UK. The proposed interconnector is expected to span a distance of more than 725 kilometers, or slightly more than 450 miles.



The privately-funded venture has been labelled ‘an invisible energy highway’ by its backers and is touted as the first direct connection between the German and the UK energy markets.



The contracts awarded are for cable installations as well as converter stations, with Siemens Energy, the German energy firm, being given the contract for the latter. The Siemens’ contract would involve the design as well as construction of NeuConnect sites across Germany and the United Kingdom.



As per the NeuConnect project, the interconnector will allow Britain to plug into Germany's extensive energy network, particularly its major renewable energy resources.



The German government stated that the direct link with the United Kingdom will help reduce existing bottlenecks where frequent downtime plagues the wind turbines as an excess renewable power keeps being produced.



According to Monday's release, NeuConnect's financial closing is expected in the coming weeks, allowing construction to begin in 2022.



The initiative has been in the making for a long time, but its advancement coincides with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has exposed how dependent some countries are on Russian oil and gas.



While the conflict in Ukraine has caused global division and tensions, it has also led to a series of projects based on cooperation and common goals.



For example, the United States and the European Commission released a joint statement recently on energy independence in which they proposed the formation of a joint task group on the matter.



The parties have agreed that the US will seek to ensure that the EU receives at least 15 billion cubic meters of more liquefied natural gas (LNG) this year.



Source credit: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/12/huge-undersea-cables-to-give-uk-germany-first-ever-energy-link.html

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Meghna Singh

An English Literature graduate, Meghna Singh ventured into the profession of content development to incorporate her knack for writing articles across verticals including technology, healthcare, business, and alike for News Origins and Newsorigins. She has also completed her MBA in Tourism and worked as a content creator in the field of product development.