SSEN Transmission has submitted a marine licence application for the Scottish marine elements of the Eastern Green Link 3 (EGL3) subsea power cable project.
The joint venture with National Grid Electricity Transmission will be one of the biggest electricity transmission projects in the UK.
The 680km subsea electricity “superhighway” will run between Aberdeenshire in Scotland and west Norfolk in England, delivering 2GW of clean, renewable energy – enough to power two million homes.
The marine licence application has been submitted to the Marine Directorate – Licensing Operations Team (MD-LOT) for determination.
SSEN Transmission said the submission represents a significant milestone for the project. It follows years of development, including marine survey campaigns, capturing extensive engagement on the cable route design with marine users, other offshore developers and stakeholders.
The application covers the installation and operation of the subsea cable both in Scottish waters and inshore where the cable meets land.
EGL3 project director James Johnson said: “In preparing our application, we’ve worked closely with local communities – including marine stakeholders – and collaborated with other third-party developers and asset owners in the region.
“We would like to thank all those who provided feedback as part of our pre-application consultation process, which has been so valuable in helping to shape our proposals.
“We now look forward to working with the MD-LOT team and other stakeholders throughout the determination process.”
A determination from MD-LOT is expected within the next 12 months.
Once complete, EGL3 will form a critical part of the UK’s future electricity transmission infrastructure, helping to meet national energy security and clean power targets.