The company behind the mammoth Atlantic SuperConnection subsea cabling project that will link the º£½ÇÊÓƵ and Iceland has secured a larger grid connection near Hull.
ASC Energy plc announced it has secured a 1,800GW connection agreement with National Electricity System Operator (NESO) to enlarge its existing 1,800MW deal, which will see hydroelectric and geothermal energy energy from the North Atlantic country connected to the National Grid via the substation at Creyke Beck, near Cottingham.
The 800MW increase means the total power planned to come in from the 1,700km Atlantic SuperConnection link will be equivalent to two million homes. ASC Energy - a subsidiary of Amsterdam Stock Exchange-listed Global Interconnection Group - says the link will be made possible by significant investment from National Grid.
Announcing the update, ASC said: "The ASC Connection is facilitated by National Grid undertaking significant investments to enhance the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's energy infrastructure. The Birkhill Wood Substation, near Creyke Beck, has undergone a period of consultation and it is understood that National Grid will submit planning permission this month. The National Grid investment of several hundred million pounds in this connection to the main grid is part of National Grid's broader strategy to facilitate the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's net-zero electricity goals by 2030, ensuring a reliable and efficient transmission network capable of supporting increased renewable energy generation and electrification demands."
ASC is among several superconnector projects to have secured or proposed connections at the Creyke Beck substation. They also include Continental Link Multi-Purpose Interconnector - a high-voltage direct current link aims to connect the º£½ÇÊÓƵ to other European and integrate offshore wind farms into the National Transmission System (NTS). Meanwhile the Dogger Bank and Hornsea Project Four offshore wind farms also have initial grid connection agreements.
ASC says its interconnector project will provide Iceland with a greater security of energy supply - bringing geothermal and hydroelectric electricity to the º£½ÇÊÓƵ and taking offshore wind power to the existing Icelandic hydro-dams, with pumped storage ‘refuelling’ the dams to create a 1,500 MW ‘clean battery’.
