Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Answer of 22 March 2021 to Question 167922 on Electric Cables: Seas and Oceans, if he will make an estimate of the lifetime cost of the Eastern High Voltage Direct Current Link scheme.

The Eastern High Voltage Direct Current Link scheme is a joint project between the three private electricity transmission network companies in Great Britain. Eastern Links 1 and 2 have received Final Needs Case approvals from Ofgem based on estimated combined capital costs (not lifetime costs) of £3.4bn.

The Electricity System Operator’s Holistic Network Design, a blueprint for offshore and onshore transmission projects required to support Government’s ambition for 50GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, confirmed the need for the Eastern Links 1 and 2. The Holistic Network Design is estimated to save consumers £5.5bn over the network asset lifetime.