BritNed
Electrical interconnector between the UK and the Netherlands
title: "BritNed" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["electrical-interconnectors-to-and-from-great-britain", "electrical-interconnectors-to-and-from-the-synchronous-grid-of-continental-europe", "electric-power-infrastructure-in-england", "electric-power-infrastructure-in-the-netherlands", "energy-infrastructure-completed-in-2011", "hvdc-transmission-lines", "national-grid-(great-britain)", "electrical-interconnectors-in-the-north-sea", "netherlands–united-kingdom-relations", "2011-establishments-in-england", "2011-establishments-in-the-netherlands"] description: "Electrical interconnector between the UK and the Netherlands" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BritNed" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Electrical interconnector between the UK and the Netherlands ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox power transmission line"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | BritNed |
| map | |
| map_caption | Location of BritNed |
| country | United Kingdom, Netherlands |
| coordinates |
| | direction | north–south, west–south | | start | Isle of Grain, Kent | | through | North Sea | | finish | Maasvlakte, Rotterdam | | partners | National Grid plc (United Kingdom) TenneT (Netherlands) | | cable_manufacturer | ABB | | cable_layer | Global Marine Systems | | substation_manufacturer | Siemens | | substation_installer | BAM Nuttall | | construction | 2009 | | est | 2011 | | type | submarine cable | | current_type | HVDC | | length_km | 260 | | capacity | 1,000 MW | | DC_voltage | 450 kV | | poles_no | 2 | ::
| name = BritNed | photo = | caption = | map = | map_caption = Location of BritNed | country = United Kingdom, Netherlands | state = | province = | coordinates =
| direction = north–south, west–south | start = Isle of Grain, Kent | through = North Sea | finish = Maasvlakte, Rotterdam | par = | owner = | partners = National Grid plc (United Kingdom) TenneT (Netherlands) | operator = | cable_manufacturer= ABB | cable_installer= | cable_layer = Global Marine Systems | substation_manufacturer= Siemens | substation_installer= BAM Nuttall | contractors = | construction= 2009 | expected = | est = 2011 | decom = | type = submarine cable | current_type= HVDC | length_km = 260 | capacity = 1,000 MW | AC_voltage = | DC_voltage = 450 kV | poles_no = 2 | circuits_no = BritNed is a 1,000MW high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) submarine power cable between the Isle of Grain in Kent, the United Kingdom; and Maasvlakte in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
The BritNed interconnector would serve as a link for the foreseeable European super grid project.
History
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/HVDC_Europe.svg" caption=""] ::
See also the List of HVDC project in Europe, which would eventually be part of European Supergrid]] The project was announced in May 2007. | title = New cable to link UK and Dutch power grids | first = Daniel | last = Fineren | work = Reuters | date = 2007-05-22 | url= http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKL224559420070522?sp=true | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201028213620/https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKL224559420070522?sp=true | url-status= dead | archive-date= 28 October 2020 | access-date =2009-09-26}} The installation of the first section of cable link started on 11 September 2009, | title = Dutch-UK marine power cable laying starts | first = Catherine | last = Hornby | work = Reuters | date = 2009-09-11 | url= http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE58A4M620090911 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201028212305/https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE58A4M620090911 | url-status= dead | archive-date= 28 October 2020 | access-date =2009-09-26}} The entire 260 km cable was completed in October 2010.{{Cite press release |title = Global Marine Systems Completes Power Connection Between the Netherlands and the UK |date = 2010-10-27 |url = http://www.globalmarinesystems.com/images/upload/File/Global-Marine_BritNed-power-cable-installation_27Oct_FINAL.pdf |publisher = Global Marine Systems |access-date = 2011-01-13 | title = Dutch, U.K. Regulators Approve BritNed Power Cable Trading | first = Lars | last = Paulsson | agency = Bloomberg | date = 2011-02-24 | url= https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-24/dutch-u-k-regulators-approve-britned-power-cable-trading-1-.html | access-date =2011-03-11}} | title = BritNed cable electrically connects United Kingdom and the Netherlands | date = 2011-04-01 | url = http://www.tennet.eu/de/en/news/article/britned-cable-electrically-connects-united-kingdom-and-the-netherlands.html | publisher = TenneT | access-date = 2016-05-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160510080941/http://www.tennet.eu/de/en/news/article/britned-cable-electrically-connects-united-kingdom-and-the-netherlands.html | archive-date = 2016-05-10 | url-status = dead and as of January 2012, electricity flow has mostly been from the Netherlands to the UK.
Technical description
The 260 km long bi-pole 450kV interconnector consists of two HVDC cables, which are bundled together. The capacity of the cable is 1,000MW. The interconnector has two converter stations for connecting the link with the British and Dutch high-voltage electricity transmission systems. The cable was produced by ABB and laid by Global Marine Systems, while the BAM Nuttall/Siemens consortium was responsible for the construction and equipping of the converter stations. | title = BritNed begins laying UK-Netherlands marine electricity cable | publisher = PennWell Corporation | work = Power Engineering | date = 2009-09-16 | url= http://www.power-eng.com/articles/2009/09/britned-begins-laying-uk-netherlands-marine-electricity-cable.html | access-date =2009-09-26}} | title = ABB awards submarine cable installation projects to Global Marine Systems | publisher = PennWell Corporation | work = Power Engineering | date = 2009-05-13 | url= http://www.power-eng.com/articles/2009/05/abb-awards-completion-of-projects-to-global-marine-systems.html | access-date =2009-09-26}} BritNed was completed on time and within the budget of €600million.
Operators
The respective transmission system operators of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands - National Grid plc and TenneT; formed a joint venture to fund and operate the interconnection, independently from National Grid and TenneT's regulated businesses. | title = €600m electricity link between the Netherlands and UK | publisher = PennWell Corporation | work = Power Engineering | date = 2007-05-23 | url= http://www.power-eng.com/articles/2007/05/euro600m-electricity-link-between-the-netherlands-and-uk.html | access-date =2009-09-26}}
Outages
BritNed suffered a number of outages due to undersea cable faults in 2020/21. A significant outage happened on 9 March 2021 and the connection was scheduled to be restored on 8 May 2021, but this was later delayed until 7 June 2021.
Coordinates
::data[format=table]
| Site | Coordinates |
|---|---|
| Grain Static Inverter Plant | |
| Maasvlakte Static Inverter Plant | |
| :: |
References
References
- Justin Wilkes et al. [http://www.ewea.org/fileadmin/ewea_documents/documents/publications/statistics/EWEA_stats_offshore_2011_02.pdf The European offshore wind industry key 2011 trends and statistics] p22 ''[[European Wind Energy Association]]'', January 2012. Accessed: 26 March 2012.
- (31 May 2021). "Notices (See, e.g. Update (31 May 2021))". www.britned.com.
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