Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential (a) environmental and (b) commercial impact of proposals for a high voltage direct current transmission line from Morocco to the UK.

The Government is interested in the Xlinks UK-Morocco Power Project which is a proposed large scale onshore wind, solar and battery storage site in Morocco that would exclusively supply power to the GB grid via high voltage direct current subsea cables.

The Government is currently evaluating – without commitment – how this complex project could contribute to the UK’s energy security. Our evaluation is considering a range of issues, including environmental and commercial impacts, to ensure we are comprehensively assessing the viability and merits of the proposal.