Greenlink connects Ireland and Britain
500 MW interconnector enables two-way energy flow, enhancing energy security and renewable integration across both nations.
Image for illustration purposes
Ireland / Great Britain: The Greenlink Interconnector, a 500 MW high-voltage power link between Ireland and Great Britain, has officially been handed over for full commercial use. Developed by a consortium of Sumitomo Electric Industries and Siemens Energy, the project marks a major step in regional energy integration.
This submarine and underground HVDC interconnector connects EirGrid’s Great Island substation in County Wexford, Ireland, to National Grid’s Pembroke substation in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The link supports bi-directional electricity flow, depending on real-time grid demand.
Construction began in January 2022, with commercial operations launching in February 2025. Siemens Energy delivered two converter stations, while Sumitomo Electric supplied HVDC XLPE cables—spanning 24 km onshore in Ireland, 6 km in Wales, and 160 km beneath the Irish Sea.
Ireland’s Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy, Darragh O’Brien, officially inaugurated the project in Enniscorthy.
Greenlink CEO James O’Reilly highlighted its value: “It boosts energy security, lowers wholesale electricity costs, and increases renewable energy use on both grids.”
The interconnector supports a diverse, sustainable energy mix across Ireland, the UK, and the broader European grid.
Source: Offshore Energy
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