What are interconnectors and how do they work? 

Interconnectors are high voltage cables that are used to connect the electricity systems of neighbouring countries. They allow us to trade excess power, such as renewable energy created by the sun, wind and water, between different countries.

• They carry electricity from where it’s produced and in abundance (cheapest), to where it is needed most and where supplies are scarce (more expensive). 

• Subsea cables can stretch for hundreds of kilometres and are connected at either end via converter stations and underground cables that link into the domestic power grids.At 765km, our latest interconnector Viking Link is the world’s longest onshore and subsea connection, linking the UK and Denmark. This is even longer than the North Sea Link which began operation in 2021 and stretches for 720km across the North Sea between the UK and Norway, the world’s longest subsea route. 

• Interconnectors enable power to flow in both directions. So, when generation is low in one market, electricity can be drawn from a neighbouring country to keep supplies secure.  

Our existing interconnector portfolio

We already have interconnectors linking us to France (IFA, IFA2), Belgium (Nemo), Norway (North Sea Link), Denmark (Viking Link) and the Netherlands (BritNed), and each year they power millions of homes. By 2030, 90% of the energy imported by our interconnectors will be from zero carbon energy sources. Learn more about our interconnector portfolio here. 

The power of partnerships

The following data demonstrates just how effective we can be when we work together. Based on our combined interconnector energy imports we have:

• The equivalent number of UK homes powered for a year by interconnector imported energy
• The equivalent number of cars taken off the road for a year thanks to CO2 savings from interconnector flows
• Tonnes of Carbon avoided by interconnector imported cleaner, greener energy 

All our data is accurate from within the last 2 weeks. This spans either from 2018 to present, or from Jan 1 2023 to present. 

See our methodology here. 

More information

Check out our latest animations and brochure via the links below.

_{* View our methodology to find out how we calculated the data}