Can This Power Link Help Supercharge Britain’s Grid?

UK firms pick Prysmian for a vast subsea link to boost renewable power flow between Scotland and England.

7 Oct 2025

The UK’s ambition for a cleaner, stronger electricity grid has taken a significant stride. National Grid and SP Transmission have chosen Prysmian as the preferred bidder for the Eastern Green Link 4, or EGL4, a vast subsea and underground power connection designed to move renewable energy from Scotland to England.

Stretching roughly 646 kilometers between Fife and Norfolk, the project aims to deliver up to 2 gigawatts of clean electricity, enough to supply as many as 2 million homes. Beyond boosting capacity, the link is meant to relieve bottlenecks in the transmission network and strengthen overall energy security.

EGL4 is part of National Grid’s sweeping Great Grid Upgrade, often described as the most extensive modernization of Britain’s electricity infrastructure in decades. Public estimates have suggested a potential £54 billion investment, though the final cost remains subject to change.

Despite the milestone, construction is still several years away. The project must clear multiple hurdles, including planning approvals, environmental assessments, and development consent orders in both England and Scotland. Work could begin toward the decade’s end, with the link expected to come online in the early 2030s.

Analysts say the announcement signals real momentum for the UK’s renewable push. Yet challenges loom, from offshore construction costs to supply chain pressures. For now, the preferred bidder selection stands as a vote of confidence in the country’s ability to deliver complex clean energy infrastructure.

If completed, EGL4 will not just move electrons; it will help connect the UK’s future energy ambitions to the power lines that can make them real.