Electricity: 1.4-GW NeuConnect Power Line Between Germany and the UK Enters Critical Construction Phase
Wilhelmshaven (Germany) - The first direct electricity connection between Germany and the United Kingdom is progressing on schedule. Significant construction milestones have been achieved in recent weeks both on land and at sea.
Construction progress in Germany
At the German site near Wilhelmshaven, specifically in the Fedderwarden area, preparations for the converter station are progressing in parallel with offshore work. Key technical components are already being implemented: a total of seven large transformers are required for the facility to manage electricity flow between the two countries’ grids. Each transformer weighs over 200 tons and is considered a key technology for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission. Manufacturing and logistics of these components, including from Germany, have begun, ensuring continued construction progress on the German side.
Construction progress in the UK and the North Sea
At the Isle of Grain in the UK, construction of the converter station has reached a critical phase: the building structures have now reached their full height. The approximately 24-meter-high converter halls, where electricity will later be converted between direct and alternating current, are complete in shell form, while cladding work is already underway.
Offshore work is also advancing. Following a winter pause, cable laying has resumed. In UK waters, a specialized vessel is currently installing additional sections of the approximately 725-kilometer subsea cable. Over the coming months, more than 140 kilometers of cable will be laid before work continues toward the Netherlands and finally Germany.
The Germany-UK power line project also has support from the UK regulator Ofgem. Its leadership recently visited the construction site to assess progress. Interconnectors like NeuConnect are crucial, the agency emphasized, to export excess electricity and import when needed.
About the Germany-UK NeuConnect power line
NeuConnect will connect the transmission grids of Germany and the UK over a distance of approximately 720 kilometers. The power line runs from the Isle of Grain substation in Kent to the grid connection point in Fedderwarden, Wilhelmshaven. It crosses the territories of the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany. The German section is around 193 kilometers long. In the North Sea, the line will be laid as a subsea cable, while on land in Germany it will be realized as an underground cable.
The project, with a transmission capacity of 1.4 GW, has an investment volume of approximately €2.8 billion and is privately financed. Investors include Meridiam, Allianz, Kansai Electric Power, and Tepco.
The HVDC connection will allow electricity to be transported flexibly in both directions and is considered a key component for integrating renewable energy and enhancing energy security in Europe.
According to project officials, construction remains on schedule. The power line is expected to go live in 2028, coinciding with other major German grid expansion projects (Ultranet 2026, A-Nord 2027, SuedLink and Suedost-Link 2028). With visible progress on land and at sea, one of Europe’s largest energy interconnection projects is increasingly taking shape.
Source: IWR Online, 23 Mar 2026
