National Grid interconnectors transport a record 2.6TWh of power in January

Britain’s interconnector capacity reached record levels this January, transporting 2.6TWh of power through the National Grid’s five subsea cables connected to France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Norway.

This capacity (measured from 1 to 29 January) averages at 91GWh per day including exports and imports, making it 12% higher than the same period last year and 39% higher than January 2021.

On the 2 January, Britain’s import record for a single day was broken with interconnectors making up 19% of generation. During evening peak at 5:30pm the same day, interconnectors were importing 91% of their potential capacity.

These record figures were achieved despite the 2GW IFA cable – which links Sellindge, Kent to Les Mandarins, Normandy – operating at reduced capacity (1GW) since October 2021 after suffering a fire.

National Grid’s portfolio now totals 6.4GW (taking into account the currently limited IFA1 interconnector):

“We’ve seen this winter that interconnectors are supporting security of supply in both Britain and the EU by doing exactly what they were designed to do, move large volumes of power quickly to where it’s needed most,” said Nicola Medalova, managing director of National Grid Interconnectors.

“Our interconnectors help to make Britain’s energy system more secure, enabling system operators to access electricity at the flick of a switch to respond to sudden changes in demand and supply. As we move toward a zero-carbon economy, the cooperation with our neighbours that we have seen this winter will be increasingly important, which is why it’s so wonderful to see such strong performance in a difficult period.”

Interconnectors were heavily relied upon on 25 January following a fault on the transmission grid meaning that the UK had to request emergency assistance from Europe to help power south east England.

With the energy crisis raging throughout Europe, interconnector dynamics have been of particular interest. One of the defining features of 2022 was a shift from the status quo as Britain became a net exporter of electricity during Q2, Q3 and Q4, due to relatively strong LNG access and France’s nuclear power struggles.