NeuConnect on Track: First 1.4 GW Power Link Between Germany and UK Reaches Construction Halfway Point
London — Construction of the first direct power connection between Germany and the United Kingdom has reached the halfway mark, with half of the roughly 700-kilometer subsea cable now laid. The 725-kilometer high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link is scheduled to enter service in 2028 and will transmit up to 1.4 GW of electricity in both directions.
NeuConnect Power Link: Subsea Cable Installation Reaches Halfway Point
Since cable-laying began in late 2024, main contractor Prysmian has installed more than 350 kilometers of subsea cable. The specialized vessel Leonardo da Vinci has completed work in UK territorial waters and is now continuing the installation off the Dutch coast toward Germany.
The NeuConnect route comprises a total of approximately 725 kilometers of onshore and offshore cable, including about 700 kilometers of subsea cable through British, Dutch, and German waters. Once operational, the link will provide a transmission capacity of 1.4 GW, which the project company says corresponds to the electricity needs of up to 1.5 million households.
NeuConnect is backed by an international investor consortium comprising Meridiam, Allianz, Kansai Electric Power, and Tepco. The investment volume totals around EUR 2.8 billion. Onshore construction began in July 2023 in the UK and in May 2024 in Germany.
Converter Stations in Germany and the UK Reach Next Construction Phase
Alongside cable installation, construction of the two converter stations in Wilhelmshaven and on the Isle of Grain in the UK is also progressing. Siemens Energy is building the facilities, which will convert the direct current transmitted via the HVDC cable into alternating current for the national power grids.
The converter halls, approximately 24 meters high and 70 meters wide, have now reached their final dimensions. All 14 transformers — seven at each site — were delivered earlier this spring.
Alongside the construction work, preparations for future operations are already under way, including the setup of IT systems and market integration. NeuConnect was certified as a transmission system operator by UK regulator Ofgem in 2025. The Joint Allocation Office (JAO) has been appointed to allocate cross-border transmission capacity, while the market integration platform is being developed by Supercharge.
Power Trading in Europe: Interconnectors as a Building Block of the European Energy Transition
Cross-border power connections are gaining further importance as the share of renewable energy rises. They help balance regional differences in wind and solar power generation, improve security of supply, and strengthen the integration of European electricity markets.
The European Union aims for member states' cross-border transmission capacity to reach at least 15 percent of installed power generation capacity by 2030. While the UK is no longer bound by this EU target following Brexit, NeuConnect supports the same energy policy approach and establishes, for the first time, a direct power connection between Germany and the British electricity market.
British Ambassador to Germany Andrew Mitchell highlighted the project's strategic significance on the occasion of the first anniversary of the German-British Kensington Treaty. "As the first direct energy link between the UK and Germany, NeuConnect will strengthen energy security, deepen our economic partnership, and support our shared climate ambitions," said Andrew Mitchell, British Ambassador to Germany.
With commissioning planned for 2028, Germany gains direct access to the British electricity market for the first time. The link complements Germany's existing interconnectors to the power markets of its European neighbors and creates additional opportunities for cross-border exchange of renewable energy.
Source: IWR Online, 24 Jul 2026
