Viking Link
| Viking Link | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Denmark, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 55°31′23″N 8°42′35″E / 55.52306°N 8.70972°E 52°55′49″N 0°13′14″W / 52.93028°N 0.22056°W |
| General direction | east-west |
| Passes through | North Sea |
| To | Bicker Fen |
| Ownership information | |
| Partners | |
| Construction information | |
| Construction started | 2018 |
| Expected | 2022 |
| Technical information | |
| Type | submarine cable |
| Type of current | HVDC |
| Total length | 740 km (460 mi) |
| Power rating | 1,400 MW |
| AC voltage | 400 kV (Jutland), 400 kV (Bicker Fen) |
| DC voltage | ± 525 kV |
Viking Link is a planned 1,400 MW HVDC submarine power cable between Bicker Fen in Lincolnshire, the United Kingdom and Revsing in southern Jutland, Denmark.[1]
The project is a cooperation between British National Grid and Danish Energinet.[1] and is similar in capacity, completion date and length to the UK-Norway North Sea Link.
Project
The interconnector would be capable of transmitting up to 1,400 MW at 525 kV[2] i.e. an annual transmission capacity of 12.3 TWh.
With a length of 740 kilometres (460 miles) of which 650 km (400 mi) would pass through Danish, German, Dutch and British waters[1] it would cross and be longer than the world's currently longest submarine power cable, the 580 km (360 mi) long NorNed.
In November 2015 Viking Link was put on the EU "Projects of Common Interest" list, along with the COBRAcable between Jutland and the Netherlands, and the Krieger offshore wind turbine cable to Germany.[3]
In January 2017 Viking Link announced a €1.3 billion tender for seven contracts that detail all aspects of constructing and later maintaining both the land and sea components of the link.[4]
In March 2017 Fugro announced the completion of their contract to survey the seabed for the subsea section of the interconnector.[5]
As of August 2019[update] the cable was expected to be operational by the end of 2023,[6] increasing the UK's electricity interconnection level (transmission capacity relative to production capacity) from 6%.[7]
According to some experts including National Grid's head of strategy the UK's decision to leave the EU can negatively influence the effort to link the UK power grid with the continent and may put planned interconnectors such as Viking Link on hold.[8] In reaction to the Brexit referendum Viking Link stated that the plans to build and operate the interconnector remain unchanged and that they consider the project unlikely to be influenced since it has a strong business case, while National Grid claims that leaving the internal energy market would jeopardize interconnector projects such as Viking Link.[9]
In July 2019 Viking Link announced three contracts totaling €1.1 billion, one with Siemens for the two onshore substations and two for the manufacture and laying of the undersea cables to be done by Prysmian Powerlink S.r.l. and NKT HV Cables AB. Construction work is scheduled to start mid-2020 and expected to be complete by 2023.[10]
Economy
The Viking Link will give the UK access to the west Denmark bidding area (DK1) of Nord Pool Spot. An analysis in 2016 showed a DKK 5.6 billion overall benefit for the society using Viking Link, and a DKK 20 billion benefit for heat pumps in district heating. Combining the two yields a benefit of DKK 22.8 billion. By 2022 prices in Denmark are projected to rise by 15 DKK/MWh, and fall in England. The investment is estimated at 13.4 billion DKK.[11]
See also
- Triton Knoll, offshore wind farm under planning 2015, also with an onshore cable linking to Bicker Fen
- Energy in Denmark
- Energy in the United Kingdom
- Electricity sector in Denmark
- Electricity sector in the United Kingdom
- Nemo Link, a cable under construction between the United Kingdom and Belgium
- COBRAcable, a planned cable between Denmark and the Netherlands
- NSN Link, a cable under construction between the United Kingdom and Norway
External links
References
- ^ a b c "Viking Link Interconnector". viking-link.com. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
- ^ "Viking Link Interconnector - 4C Offshore". 4coffshore.com. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
- ^ "Union list of projects of common interest" (PDF). European Commission. 2015-11-18. Retrieved 2016-04-25.
- ^ "€1.3bn tender launched for Viking Link". 4coffshore.com. 2017-01-20. Retrieved 2017-01-21.
- ^ Bergman, Amy (2017-03-09). "A vital link". Fugro. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
- ^ "Denmark - National Grid". National Grid. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-02-03.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ COM/2015/082 final: "Achieving the 10% electricity interconnection target" Text PDF page 2-5. European Commission, 25 February 2015. Archive Mirror
- ^ Pell, Elza Holmstedt (2016-05-02). "UK energy links to Europe at risk from Brexit, analysts warn". EurActiv. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
- ^ "Viking Link and Brexit". viking-link.com. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
- ^ "Cable and converter station suppliers are announced". viking-link.com. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
- ^ "Viking Link og andre tiltag for integration af vind" [Viking Link and other Initiatives for Wind Integration] (PDF). ea-energianalyse.dk (in Danish). 2016. p. 37+61+68.