Final strands of cables being joined on the cable-laying vessel. Credit: National Grid.

The last section of the subsea cable for the 765km Viking Link, the North Sea interconnector being developed by the UK’s National Grid and Denmark’s Energinet, has been laid and joined.

This interconnector, running subsea and onshore between Bicker Fen in Lincolnshire, UK, and Jutland in Denmark, marks the first time that the two nations’ power grids have been connected.

Developed with an investment of €2bn, Viking Link is the world’s longest electricity interconnector.

Construction on the project began in July 2020, with full commissioning anticipated by the end of 2023.

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It will allow the countries to exchange 1.4GW of clean electricity, sufficient to meet the power needs of 1.4 million households in the UK.

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The high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables were manufactured and laid by Italian cable maker Prysmian and Danish cable maker NKT. Weighing 40kg per metre, the cable is buried on the seabed.

Cable joining was carried out in Danish waters, with cable sections lifted from the seabed and each conductor/strand joined on the cable-laying vessel.

National Grid interconnectors managing director Rebecca Sedler stated: “Interconnectors bring huge benefits to the UK, acting as clean energy super-highways, allowing us to move surplus green energy from where it is generated to where it is needed the most. That means that we can import cheaper and cleaner energy from our neighbours when we need it, and vice versa.

“As energy systems build up their offshore wind generation, interconnectors will become critical for transporting clean and green energy and helping to manage the intermittent nature of renewable sources.”