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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 6 September 2022 to Question 40864 on National Grid: Scotland and to Answer of 6 June 2022 to Question 6661 on Electric Cables: Seas and Oceans, for what reason the Government was able to provide the financial cost of the proposed Sealink 1 undersea electrical cable from Sizewell to Kent but not in a position to provide a cost of delivering the Eastern High Voltage Direct Current Link scheme; and if he will make a statement.

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.