Berlin, Germany, May 21, 2024 - The major construction phase of the first-ever energy link between UK and Germany has begun on the German side, ten-months after work had started in the UK.

On Tuesday, more than 80 guests from political, commercial and government sectors celebrated the commencement for the €2.8 billion NeuConnect interconnector. This marks the main construction phase on the German side of the project by contractors Siemens Energy and Prysmian.

The chairwoman of NeuConnect, Julia Prescot spoke at the ceremony, “Germany and the UK share a common goal of delivering a greener, more secure energy system for the future, so NeuConnect will make a vital contribution, uniting out Net Zero ambitions and strengthening the economic links between both countries,”

“As we mark a new chapter with the start of major construction, we are particularly grateful to the German and British Governments for their continued support as this vital new energy link begins to take shape,” she added.

The “NeuConnect” project will be a direct link between two of the biggest energy markets in the energy sector, spanning across 720 km approximately.

“The climate-neutral electricity system needs flexibility,” said the Economic Affairs and Climate Action Minister of Germany, Robert Habeck who was one of the speakers there. “That is why we are not expanding the electricity grids in Germany but also providing power lines to our neighbours.”

Led by global investors Meridiam, Allianz Capital partners, Kansai Electric Power and TEPCO, Neuconnect is privately financed. It will become one of the world’s largest interconnectors with land and subsea cables allowing up to 1.4 GW of electricity to flow in both directions, enough to power 1.5 million homes over its lifetime.

The construction work at the Isle of Grain site got underway last year and UK converter station’s foundation work started earlier this month. With the NeuConnect's construction now undergoing in Germany as well, the project is expected to be operational by 2028.

Over a 25-year period, NeuConnect is anticipated to result in a net reduction of about 13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in Germany and the UK.