Marine Surveys Begin for EGL2
Significant marine survey operations have officially begun this summer for the Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) project, marking a critical milestone in the UK’s largest ever high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission undertaking. EGL2, a joint venture between SSEN Transmission and National Grid Electricity Transmission, will feature a 505km, 2GW HVDC subsea cable linking Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, Scotland to Drax in North Yorkshire, England. Once operational in 2029, EGL2 will enable the transmission of renewable energy sufficient to power around two million homes, supporting Britain’s ambitions for a net-zero electricity system and grid decarbonization.
The current phase encompasses a series of complex marine and onshore surveys across key coastal sites, including Sandford Bay near Boddam, Peterhead, and Fraisthorpe/Sandford Bay near Bridlington in Yorkshire. These activities are scheduled across several months and include daily vessel sweeps in May and June 2025 to gather high-resolution data of the seabed and underlying strata. In July and August 2025, jack-up barges will be deployed for core sample extraction at multiple offshore positions, with samples analysed in onboard laboratories. From August to October 2025, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) will scan an 80-metre-wide corridor along the proposed cable route to identify and evaluate unexploded ordnance (UXO) targets, ensuring safe installation. Onshore work will complement these efforts through environmental, ecological, and ground investigation surveys adjacent to Sandford Bay, with measures in place to preserve public amenity and limit disruption to local communities and fisheries.
The scheme will employ a 2GW, ±525kV bipole configuration, making it the UK’s longest HVDC circuit. The bipole topology provides both redundancy and high reliability. The project has been fast-tracked under Ofgem’s Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) scheme, allowing construction to start two years ahead of schedule and demonstrating the regulator’s commitment to strategic infrastructure that supports clean energy delivery.
EGL2 will reinforce the grid by addressing transmission constraints between Scotland’s renewables-rich north and the demand-driven regions further south. It will also enhance energy security by enabling bi-directional transfer capacity, supporting both bulk power flows and flexible ancillary services. The deployment of advanced marine survey techniques, including UXO risk management, sets a benchmark for safe and reliable subsea cable installation—an area of critical importance for HVDC cable installation contractors and offshore EPCs.
Ongoing engagement with local communities and the fishing industry is central to the project’s approach, ensuring transparency and mitigating potential impacts throughout marine operations. Public access to beaches will remain open, with notices to mariners issued ahead of each survey activity.
