Standard content for Members only
To continue reading this article, please login to your Utility Week account, Start 14 day trial or Become a member.
If your organisation already has a corporate membership and you haven’t activated it simply follow the register link below. Check here.
Interconnector projects linking the UK to Norway and France have received a €40 million boost through European Commission funding, a government statement said late on Thursday.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) said in a statement that the UK projects which were awarded funding in this round include the NSN interconnector linking the UK to Norwegian hydropower, and two interconnectors to France.
Together these projects would double the amount of electricity the UK is able to receive over its interconnectors.
The European Commission said it will make €75 million (almost £60 million) available to the UK to fund energy infrastructure projects which enhance security of supply across Europe’s borders.
Of this, €40 million (or £31.5 million) will target the UK’s electricity interconnection projects to Norway and France with the remainder to be allocated to smart grid and gas storage projects.
“The Commission’s decision to fast-track funding is a real boost to getting these projects built,” said Decc secretary of state Ed Davey.
“The €40 million awarded to interconnector projects linking the UK to Norway and France will help strengthen energy security and deliver lower energy bills,” he added.
The UK’s funding boost comes as part of a wider €647 million (£509.3 million) made available across the European Union region.
The EC’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) provides grant funding to eligible ‘projects of common interest’ and has allocated €5.85 billion to trans-European energy infrastructure for the period 2014-2020.
A further window for projects to apply for funds is expected in early 2015.
Please login or Register to leave a comment.