THE construction of a £4.3 billion renewable energy “super highway” between Scotland and England has got underway.
The Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) project will stretch from Aberdeenshire to North Yorkshire and transport vast amounts of renewable energy.
While the infrastructure will run both ways it’s understood that the majority of the power will flow from Scotland.
A 500km subsea cable is set to run from Peterhead in Aberdeenshire to the village of Drax in Yorkshire. Delivered by SSEN Transmission and National Grid Electricity Transmission, it’s expected to provide enough green energy to power around two million homes.
The UK’s energy regulator Ofgem fast-tracked the process, allowing work to begin sooner than initially planned.
It is expected to be complete by 2029.
Gregor Alexander, chair of SSEN Transmission’s board, said:
“EGL2 will play a major role in bolstering energy security and contributing to net zero targets, but it will also generate jobs and provide a legacy to local communities here in the north-east of Scotland, where our teams are already supporting local environmental initiatives.”
However, the project has faced criticism from some quarters.
SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald previously described it as Scotland shouldering the responsibility of “keeping the lights on in England.”
