‘Critical stage’ for UK-Norway electricity link

Posted on 16 January 2014 by Priyanka Shrestha

Plans to build an interconnector between the UK and Norway are entering a “critical stage” which needs favourable policy decisions.

That’s the view of National Grid which has been working with Norwegian firm Statnett for the past five years in developing the 700km electricity link – which will be the longest interconnector in the world.

Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg and David Cameron discussed the plan surrounding the framework of the project at a meeting in Downing Street yesterday.

Ms Solberg has called for the interconnector to be part of the Electricity Market Reform’s (EMR) Capacity Mechanism as Ofgem is due to make a decision this Spring, according to National Grid.

Peter Boreham, National Grid’s Director of European Business Development said: “Interconnectors will have an increasingly important role to play in the security of supply for this country. We are reaching a critical stage in the project and we need to be sure that there will be a supportive regulatory framework that will allow us to take the final investment decision.”

Both the companies expect to take a final investment decision on the 1,400MW link this year.

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Article source: http://www.energylivenews.com/2014/01/16/%E2%80%98critical-stage%E2%80%99-for-uk-norway-electricity-link/