Danish cable supplier NKT has entered into a firm agreement with a joint venture comprising National Grid Electricity Transmission and SSEN Transmission to supply the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power cable system for Eastern Green Link 3. The contract formalises NKT’s earlier appointment as preferred bidder for the EGL3 project in September 2025 and marks a defining step in the delivery of Eastern Green Link 3. Valued at more than EUR 2.2bn, the EGL3 order stands as the largest contract ever secured by NKT for a single cable project and has been incorporated into its high-voltage order backlog.
The project is intended to address bottlenecks in the UK transmission grid, reinforcing the system’s ability to provide an affordable, reliable and clean power supply. As the largest electricity transmission investment of its kind undertaken in the UK, Eastern Green Link 3 is positioned to significantly enhance grid resilience and operational efficiency.
The scope of work covers a full turnkey package to design, manufacture and install a 525 kV HVDC power cable system stretching approximately 680 km, spanning both onshore and offshore cable sections. Civil works associated with Eastern Green Link 3 will be overseen by the joint venture partners. The 525kV HVDC connection will facilitate the transfer of renewable energy generated in the North of Scotland to key demand centres in the South, supporting the provision of affordable, reliable and clean power to as many as 2 million homes and businesses nationwide.
For National Grid Electricity Transmission and SSEN Transmission, finalising the contract represents tangible progress in strengthening the UK energy system. James Johnson, Deputy Project Director for EGL3 at SSEN Transmission stated that the project will facilitate clean energy supply from source to destinations. Mark Brackley, Project Director for EGL3 at National Grid stated the signing of the contract as a major milestone for the EGL3 project and for the joint venture between National Grid and SSEN Transmission. He added that the project is an investment in infrastructure that will reduce constraint costs, strengthen energy security and ensure more clean electricity can flow to homes and businesses across the country.
Eastern Green Link 3 is one element of a wider programme of strategic grid reinforcements being jointly delivered by the UK’s electricity transmission owners to improve the network’s capacity to transmit renewable energy efficiently across Great Britain and ensure a resilient, sustainable power system.
