Global GridUK electricity interconnectors
Great Britain's grid is linked to its neighbours by 10 interconnectors, high-voltage power cables under the sea (ElecLink runs through the Channel Tunnel), which can carry about 10,304 MW between them: France, Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands, and Northern Ireland. This page lists every one, with its capacity, route, length and owner.
See the flow on every cable right now, every 5 minutes, on the live dashboard (Great Britain's Interconnectors card), or on the Live map. The cables' routes are on the Pipelines map.
Every UK electricity interconnector
| Interconnector | Capacity (MW) | Opened | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| IFA to France | 2,000 | 1986 | 70 km |
| North Sea Link to Norway | 1,400 | 2021 | 720 km |
| Viking Link to Denmark | 1,400 | 2023 | 765 km |
| BritNed to Netherlands | 1,000 | 2011 | 260 km |
| Nemo Link to Belgium | 1,000 | 2019 | 140 km |
| IFA2 to France | 1,000 | 2021 | 200 km |
| ElecLink to France | 1,000 | 2022 | 50 km |
| Greenlink to Ireland | 504 | early 2025 | 190 km |
| Moyle to Northern Ireland | 500 | 2001 | 64 km |
| East-West to Ireland | 500 | 2012 | 261 km |
| Total | 10,304 |
Capacity is the most power each cable is built to carry. Lengths are approximate, as published sources differ. Moyle links Scotland with Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom but shares one electricity market with the Republic of Ireland. The Isle of Man's own cable to Blackpool is on the Isle of Man page.
Flows on 28 October 2026
Over the 22.9 hours to 22:55 UK time, Great Britain exported a net 6.0 GWh over its interconnectors. Plus means power came into Great Britain; minus means it went out.
| Interconnector | Energy (GWh) | Average (MW) | Use of capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Sea Link from Norway | +31.8 | +1,389 | 99% |
| Viking Link from Denmark | +10.8 | +472 | 34% |
| IFA to France | −3.2 | −140 | 7.0% |
| Moyle to Northern Ireland | −3.4 | −148 | 30% |
| ElecLink to France | −4.0 | −175 | 17% |
| East-West to Ireland | −4.6 | −201 | 40% |
| Nemo Link to Belgium | −5.3 | −231 | 23% |
| Greenlink to Ireland | −7.4 | −323 | 64% |
| BritNed to Netherlands | −8.9 | −389 | 39% |
| IFA2 to France | −11.8 | −515 | 52% |
| Net | −6.0 | −262 |
Average power over the hours covered, and how much of each cable's capacity that is (in either direction). Worked out from Elexon's 5-minute figures for each cable.
Capacity by country
| Country | Cables | Capacity (MW) | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | IFA, IFA2, ElecLink | 4,000 | 39% |
| Norway | North Sea Link | 1,400 | 14% |
| Denmark | Viking Link | 1,400 | 14% |
| Ireland | East-West, Greenlink | 1,004 | 9.7% |
| Belgium | Nemo Link | 1,000 | 9.7% |
| Netherlands | BritNed | 1,000 | 9.7% |
| Northern Ireland | Moyle | 500 | 4.9% |
The UK's net electricity imports since 2000
Terawatt-hours (TWh) a year: imports minus exports, Ember's figures for the United Kingdom. Below zero means the UK exported more than it imported.
| Year | Net imports | Share of the electricity used |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.2 TWh | 3.6% |
| 2005 | 8.32 TWh | 2.0% |
| 2010 | 2.66 TWh | 0.7% |
| 2015 | 21.1 TWh | 5.9% |
| 2020 | 18.3 TWh | 5.6% |
| 2021 | 24.7 TWh | 7.4% |
| 2022 | -4.30 TWh | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 23.3 TWh | 7.4% |
| 2024 | 33.2 TWh | 10% |
| 2025 | 29.1 TWh | 9.1% |
Being built
| Project | Linking | Capacity (MW) | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| NeuConnect Isle of Grain, Kent, to Wilhelmshaven, about 725 km | Germany | 1,400 | 2028 |
| Eastern Green Link 1 Torness, East Lothian, to Hawthorn Pit, County Durham, about 196 km | Scotland and England | 2,000 | 2029 |
| Eastern Green Link 2 Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, to Drax, North Yorkshire, about 505 km | Scotland and England | 2,000 | 2029 |
The dates are each developer's published target (checked 28 October 2026) and may change. The Eastern Green Links run under the North Sea inside Great Britain, from Scotland to England, so they add no capacity abroad.
Questions and answers
How many electricity interconnectors does the UK have?
Great Britain has 10 electricity interconnectors in operation: three to France (IFA, IFA2 and ElecLink), one to Norway (North Sea Link), one to Denmark (Viking Link), two to Ireland (East-West and Greenlink), one to Belgium (Nemo Link) and one to the Netherlands (BritNed), and Moyle to Northern Ireland. Together they can carry about 10,304 MW.
What is the UK's total interconnector capacity?
About 10,304 MW (10.3 GW), adding up the published capacity of each cable. The most capacity links Great Britain with France: 4,000 MW over 3 cables.
What is the longest UK interconnector?
Viking Link, to Denmark, at about 765 km, followed by North Sea Link (about 720 km).
What is the oldest UK interconnector?
IFA, to France, which opened in 1986. The newest is Greenlink (early 2025).
Does the UK import electricity?
Yes. In 2025 the United Kingdom imported 29.1 TWh more electricity than it exported, about 9.1% of the electricity it used, according to Ember. Its highest net imports since 2000 were 33.2 TWh, in 2024. It exported more than it imported in 2022.
Which interconnectors are being built?
NeuConnect (1,400 MW, to Germany, due in 2028), Eastern Green Link 1 (2,000 MW, from Scotland to England, due in 2029) and Eastern Green Link 2 (2,000 MW, from Scotland to England, due in 2029), according to their developers.
How much electricity flows through the UK's interconnectors in a day?
On 28 October 2026 (the 22.9 hours to 22:55 UK time), Great Britain imported 43 GWh and exported 49 GWh over its interconnectors, so it exported a net 6.0 GWh. North Sea Link brought in the most: 32 GWh from Norway.
Where can I see live interconnector flows?
The Global Grid dashboard shows the flow on every cable every 5 minutes, from Elexon's figures, with imports and exports for each country.
Each interconnector
The United Kingdom's energy mix · World power grid map · Every country
Sources: the cables' owners and operators (capacities, routes and opening dates, as on the Pipelines tab's power link details); the flows on the live dashboard contain BMRS data © Elexon Limited copyright and database right; the United Kingdom's net imports are Ember's yearly electricity data (CC BY 4.0). Facts checked 28 October 2026.
To cite this page: Global Grid, “UK electricity interconnectors”, globalgrid.uk/uk-interconnectors, and the original source named above.