Iberdrola’s British subsidiary ScottishPower has received approval from Ofgem to invest in electricity networks in the United Kingdom, with a focus on new interconnections between Scotland and England and Wales.
The investment programme totals about €14 billion and centres on two new high-voltage direct current underwater links between Scotland and England, Eastern Link 1 and Eastern Link 4. A further submarine connection, Western Link 2, will run between Scotland and Wales. Across the three projects, more than 500 kilovolts of power will be transported through 1,100 kilometres of underwater cable, supported by six converter substations. The plan is intended to increase grid capacity to meet rising electricity demand, support industrial activity, enable new renewable generation to connect and ease current system constraints that affect electricity bills.
