- National Grid and SP Energy Networks have unveiled plans for Western Link 2, a high‑voltage direct‑current (HVDC) connection capable of transmitting 2 GW of power between Scotland and North Wales.
- The £3-4 billion project is part of Britain’s Great Grid Upgrade and aims to ease north-south electricity bottlenecks, support offshore wind expansion and reduce constraint costs.
- Four key elements include a 260 km subsea cable from Scotland’s southwestern coast to Caernarfon Bay, an underground cable to a new converter station near Pentir, an extension to the existing Pentir substation and minimal new overhead lines.
The UK’s grid operator has kicked off a month‑long public consultation on a multibillion‑pound subsea power link that would connect Scotland’s renewable powerhouse to North Wales.
The Western Link 2 project promises to unlock gigawatts of clean electricity and ease congestion on the ageing transmission network, but it has already sparked local opposition over its landfall and route.
Western Link 2 is the second high‑capacity cable designed to move surplus wind and hydro power from Scotland to demand centres in England and Wales – and to send power north when conditions reverse. The existing Western Link, completed in 2019, has suffered from faults and capacity limitations, highlighting the need for redundancy.
According to National Grid and SP Energy Networks’ consultation documents, the new link would have a capacity of 2 gigawatts and use high‑voltage direct current technology to minimise losses over the 260 km subsea route from Ayrshire or Wigtownshire to Caernarfon Bay.
Once ashore, a 25 km underground cable would connect to a converter station near Pentir in Gwynedd before tying into the existing Pentir substation, which will be expanded. Developers say the project avoids new overhead pylons by using underground cables and existing corridors.
The consultation outlines four key components: the subsea cable; onshore underground cable; new converter station; and substation extension. Total cost estimates run into several billion pounds, though final figures will depend on detailed routing and engineering.
Drivers and benefits
National Grid argues that doubling Britain’s electricity demand by 2050 will require significant investment in high‑voltage infrastructure.
Without new north-south links, wind farms in Scotland are increasingly curtailed when transmission lines are full, leading to “constraint payments” that cost consumers hundreds of millions of pounds a year. Western Link 2 would ease these bottlenecks, enabling more renewables to flow south and strengthening Wales’ security of supply.
The link also supports the UK’s target of 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030. Many of these projects, including ScotWind leases and floating wind farms in the Celtic Sea, need grid capacity to deliver power to markets.
National Grid says Western Link 2 will provide a backbone for connecting these resources and could facilitate exports to Ireland and continental Europe via future interconnectors.
Community concerns and criticism
Not everyone is convinced. The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) has criticised the proposed landfall near Caernarfon, arguing that the project should run farther offshore or land at more industrialised sites.
Critics also highlight the cost, estimated at £3-4 billion, and question whether the benefits justify the disruption. The project follows a contentious plan to string north-south overhead pylons through Mid Wales for another grid upgrade, which has faced strong local opposition.
National Grid counters that Western Link 2 will be mostly invisible, with subsea and underground cables, and says it will work with communities to mitigate impacts. The company has promised supply‑chain opportunities for Welsh businesses and jobs during construction.
Project director Leandro Vacirca emphasised that grid upgrades are essential to prevent renewable energy from being wasted and to support local economies.
The consultation, running from 23 June to 21 July, includes public exhibitions, drop‑in events and webinars. Feedback will inform route refinement and environmental impact assessments.
National Grid and SP Energy Networks plan to submit planning applications to UK and Scottish authorities in 2027, with construction potentially starting by the late 2020s and completion in the early 2030s. If approved, Western Link 2 would be a cornerstone of the Great Grid Upgrade, alongside other projects such as the Eastern Green Link interconnector between Scotland and England.
