A multibillion-dollar undersea cable project designed to carry significant amounts of renewable electricity between Scotland and England has been given the green light.
The project, spearheaded by SSEN Transmission, is essential for integrating renewable energy into the grid, particularly on days when wind power is low or demand is high.
The ambitious initiative involves laying two 315-mile (507 km) cables from Peterhead in Aberdeenshire to Drax in North Yorkshire.
Initially, the cables will run along the west coast, forming a crucial part of the broader efforts to modernize the energy transmission grid and increase capacity as the UK moves away from fossil fuels to combat climate change.
Although the connection is capable of carrying electricity in both directions, the majority is expected to flow from Scotland
The project has been valued by Ofgem at £3.4 billion, but SSEN estimates that, when adjusted for inflation, the total cost will reach approximately £4.3 billion.
Scotland is already a net exporter of electricity. This two-way connection, however, will provide the flexibility to import electricity when needed, such as during less windy periods.
A new transmission station is being constructed near Peterhead, where high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables will be laid on the seabed. These cables will come ashore near Bridlington in East Yorkshire, where they will be buried underground before connecting to the national grid at Drax.
The connection will have the capacity to transmit enough renewable electricity to power two million homes.
Energy analyst Seppi Golzar-Munro highlighted the importance of these connections in modernizing the transmission grid.
He stated: "We are striving for cleaner electricity from renewable sources, but this project is crucial for improving our energy security and ultimately reducing bills."