Norway reduces cable capacity in Great Britain – BusinessPortal Norway

Oslo, March 16, 2023. Norwegian Network Operator instead of Decided cable connection capacity North Sea Link between Norway and Great Britain under the terms of the concession. Transmission capacity will now reach 1,100 MW from the technical capacity of 1,400 MW.

“The exchange is important for Norway, which has become particularly evident in the fall of 2022, when Norwegian reservoirs are running low on water. In order to achieve the benefits of various connections, it is important that the import and export capacity be balanced. To ensure this, we are now bringing the capacity to the same level as our partners on the side. British,” explains Hildy Tone, CEO of Statnett.

Over time, says Statnet, the restrictions on the English side meant that the static capacity from Norway to the UK was greater than the capacity from the UK to Norway. The company works closely with both the English partner on the cable and the UK system operator to ensure balanced capacity limitation.

Over time, Statnett conducted a dialogue with the British side about the restrictions and kept the authorities informed. A recent letter from the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy stated that the concession meant that capacity limitation should ensure consistency in declared import and export capacity.

We are satisfied with the clarification from the authorities. Transnational cooperation is important for the development of a fully renewable energy system. Hence, this cooperation must be based on balance and symmetry. Our goal is to have the best possible capacity in all connections so that we can use energy resources in the best possible way. We are now working closely with the UK system operator to implement solutions that ensure this,” Tone continues.

The maximum link capacity is now set at 1,100 MW in both directions. The actual capacity will be adjusted from day to day based on the power grid conditions on both sides.

The North Sea Link is a 720-kilometer undersea power cable that connects the electricity systems of the United Kingdom and Norway. National Grid North Sea Link Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Grid plc, a British company that owns and operates gas and electric infrastructure in the United Kingdom and the North East of the United States.

Statnett is involved in the operation and development of interconnections between Norway and several other European countries, including the submarine cable between Norway and the Netherlands (NorNed) and four connectors between Norway and Denmark (SK1-4). Work on a line connecting Norway and Germany, built by Statnett and its partners Tennet and KfW and called north link Known, in operation since 2021.

According to Statistics Norway electricity with a value of NOK 45 billion outside the country. This means that the value of exports for electricity has doubled compared to 2021. The volume of delivery has remained almost the same at 26 TWh of electricity. This means that about 17 percent of Norwegian electricity production abroad.

Norway imported NOK 22.1 billion worth of electricity via power cables to neighboring countries, more than four times what it imported last year. The imported volume also increased and reached 13 TWh, which is 60 percent more than in 2021.

Do you think …? here An interactive map that contains the latest information about electricity exchange between Norway and countries linked to Norway by electric cables, including electricity exchange with Germany.