Interconnectors
Interconnectors are high-voltage cables that let Great Britain import and export electricity with neighbouring countries. A positive figure means Great Britain is importing; a negative figure means it is exporting.
- Current output
- 0.20GW
- Share of demand
- 0.7%
Breakdown
| Source | GW | % |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | −0.38 | −1.3 |
| Denmark | −1.29 | −4.5 |
| France | 2.41 | 8.3 |
| Ireland | −0.91 | −3.1 |
| Netherlands | −0.94 | −3.3 |
| Norway | 1.31 | 4.5 |
The cables
Great Britain has nine subsea (and one sub-Channel-Tunnel) interconnector cables in service, totalling around 9.3GW of capacity. Three more link to Ireland alone.
| Cable | Connects to | Capacity | Commissioned | Approximate route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IFA | France | 2,000MW | 1986 | Sellindge, Kent ↔ Bonningues‑lès‑Calais |
| Moyle | Northern Ireland | 500MW | 2001 | Auchencrosh, Scotland ↔ Ballycronan More, Co. Antrim |
| BritNed | Netherlands | 1,000MW | 2011 | Isle of Grain, Kent ↔ Maasvlakte, Rotterdam |
| East–West (EWIC) | Ireland | 500MW | 2012 | Barkby Beach, Wales ↔ Rush, Co. Dublin |
| Nemo Link | Belgium | 1,000MW | 2019 | Richborough, Kent ↔ Herdersbrug, Zeebrugge |
| North Sea Link | Norway | 1,400MW | 2021 | Blyth, Northumberland ↔ Kvilldal |
| ElecLink | France | 1,000MW | 2022 | Folkestone ↔ Sangatte, via the Channel Tunnel |
| Viking Link | Denmark | 1,400MW | 2023 | Bicker Fen, Lincolnshire ↔ Revsing, Jutland |
| Greenlink | Ireland | 500MW | 2024 | Pembroke, Wales ↔ Great Island, Co. Wexford |
Capacities and commissioning years are sourced from each cable's Wikipedia article, cross-checked against operator announcements (TenneT/National Grid for BritNed, Elia/National Grid for Nemo Link, Getlink for ElecLink, EirGrid for EWIC and Greenlink). Figures are nominal transfer capacity, not always-available capacity.
Where the cables run
A schematic diagram, not a navigational or geographically precise map - it shows roughly which coast each cable leaves from and which country it reaches, not the true undersea path.
History
Interconnectors net flow
Net flow as a share of demand
Net interconnector flow (positive = importing, negative = exporting) and that flow as a share of GB demand, over the selected range.
About interconnectors
Great Britain is connected to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Ireland by subsea interconnector cables. These let the country import cheaper or cleaner power when available abroad, and export surplus renewable generation when domestic supply exceeds demand.
From one cable to a continental network
The first Anglo-French interconnector, IFA, was completed in 1986 with a capacity of 2GW, built partly to let Britain draw on France's large nuclear fleet. It stood as the only significant interconnector for over two decades.
Expansion accelerated from the 2010s onward as European electricity markets became more integrated and Britain's own renewable fleet grew large enough that exporting surplus power became commercially attractive. BritNed to the Netherlands opened in 2011, followed by Nemo Link to Belgium (2019), the North Sea Link to Norway (2021) - at the time the world's longest subsea interconnector - and Viking Link to Denmark (2023), the longest yet.
Ireland now has three separate links: the Moyle interconnector to Scotland (opened 2001), the East–West Interconnector to Wales (opened 2012), and the newest, Greenlink, also to Wales (opened 2024). A second France link, ElecLink, opened in 2022, running through the Channel Tunnel alongside IFA rather than under the open sea.
Why flows reverse so often
Interconnector flows are driven by relative wholesale prices either side of the cable, which in turn depend on each country's generation mix at that moment. When Britain is windy and France's nuclear output is steady, Britain often exports; when Britain is calm and Norwegian hydro reservoirs are full, Britain typically imports. This can make interconnectors the most volatile line on the generation-mix table, sometimes swinging from strongly importing to strongly exporting within a single day.
Sources
- IFA, Moyle, BritNed, East–West Interconnector, Nemo Link, North Sea Link, ElecLink, Viking Link and Greenlink - Wikipedia entries, each citing primary sources including project developers and Ofgem.
- TenNet: "BritNed marks 15 years of cross-border electricity trading" (2026), confirming BritNed's 2011 commissioning and 1,000MW capacity.
- Elexon: "About Interconnectors" - for how interconnector flows are metered and settled in the GB market.
Records
- Highest net imports (this year)6.8GW - 2 February 2026
- Highest net exports (this year)4.4GW - 5 December 2025
- First interconnector (IFA, to France)1986
- Longest subsea interconnector (Viking Link, to Denmark)2023
Source: National Energy System Operator (Elexon BMRS for the "this year" figures) and National Grid, Interconnectors. Last checked: 4 September 2026.