The £2.5bn Eastern Green Link 1 subsea electricity superhighway project involves the construction of a 525kV bipole VSC and a HVDC subsea transmission cable for transmitting renewable green energy to power over two million households across the UK
The GE Vernova and Mytilineos consortium has secured a contract for the 2GW Eastern Green Link 1 subsea electricity superhighway project. (Credit: National Grid)
A consortium of GE Vernova’s grid solutions business and Mytilineos Energy & Metals has secured a £1bn contract for the 2GW Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1) subsea electricity superhighway project between Scotland and England.
The contract for the east coast subsea link in the UK has been awarded by the joint venture (JV) between National Grid Electricity Transmission and SP Transmission, which is part of SP Energy Networks (SPEN).
According to National Grid, the 190km long Eastern Green Link 1 HVDC link will facilitate the transmission of clean energy to power over two million households across the UK. The transmission project entails an investment of £2.5bn.
The 190km long Eastern Green Link 1 involves a 525kV bipole voltage-sourced converter (VSC) and a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea transmission cable from Torness in East Lothian, Scotland to Hawthorn Pit in County Durham, England.
Under the terms of the contract, the consortium will deliver and construct two HVDC converter stations for the subsea electricity superhighway project. Both parties will also offer the engineering works and technology for the two VSC HVDC converter stations.
The converter stations, which will form the terminals for the HVDC link, would convert the direct current to alternating current. This will allow the transmission of electricity into the onshore transmission network.
The design phase is set to begin next month, and construction is scheduled to commence in 2025.
GE Vernova grid solutions president and CEO Philippe Piron said: “Together with our consortium partner MYTILINEOS, we are honored to have been awarded the HVDC contract for EGL1, one of the UK’s largest ever transmission projects.
“This critical project to the UK’s decarbonisation and energy security efforts adds to a growing backlog of projects that are utilising GE Vernova’s advanced HVDC technology.”
Mytilineos will handle engineering, procurement, and construction of civil works, remaining of plant and installation of all equipment.
Mytilineos chairman and CEO Evangelos Mytilineos said: “We are very satisfied with National Grid and SP Transmission’s vote of confidence in MYTILINEOS’ capabilities to execute on the EGL1 project together with our consortium partner GE Vernova. “Mytilineos looks forward to bringing its decades-long expertise in managing and building big and complex grid projects to this vital UK energy transition project.”
The National Grid Electricity Transmission and SP Transmission JV have also awarded a £750m contract to Prysmian Group for delivering the 525kV HVDC electricity transmission cable.
Separately, GE Vernova’s gas power business signed a multi-year services agreement with the TNB REMACO-Al Dhow JV for the 876MW Shuaiba North Power Station facility in Kuwait.
As per the terms of the five-year agreement, GE Vernova will offer service for the gas turbines installed at Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity and Water and Renewable Energy’s power plant.