The government approved Sea Link on 30 October 2026, giving National Grid consent to build a new 2 GW electricity connection between Suffolk and Kent. The government says the link could carry enough electricity to power the equivalent of 2 million homes.
The announcement also covers the approval of two solar farms, in Nottinghamshire and Cheshire. The government says its latest decisions bring the number of nationally significant clean energy projects approved since July 2024 to 39.
What will be built
Sea Link runs mainly offshore. The Planning Inspectorate’s project description sets out the main parts:
- a new converter station within 5km of the proposed Friston substation in Suffolk, joined to it by underground cables
- underground cables from the converter station to the Suffolk coast
- an offshore cable of about 130km, coming ashore at Pegwell Bay in Kent
- a second converter station within 5km of the existing Richborough substation
- a connection of about 1km onto the overhead line there
Most of the route uses high-voltage direct current, which is why a converter station is needed at each end to connect with the alternating current transmission network.
Why it matters
The main argument for the project is moving power from where it is generated to where it is needed. When the grid cannot carry that power, generators are paid to switch off, a practice known as curtailment. The government says Sea Link will ease pressure on the network and reduce the need for those payments.
It is the second large grid decision affecting Suffolk in two weeks. On 19 October, Ofgem approved £642.1 million for the Bramford to Twinstead line, which runs from Suffolk into Essex.
The government’s announcement does not give a cost for Sea Link or a date for when it will start operating.
Local funds
National Grid will deliver the government’s community benefits scheme for the project, with more than £1 million each for community funds in Kent and Suffolk. The government says the money could support local facilities, green spaces and skills.
The two solar farms
- Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park, near Newark in Nottinghamshire, will have a capacity of 800 MW, which the government says makes it the joint biggest solar farm in the country alongside Springwell. Its developer, Element Green, estimates it could meet the power needs of about 400,000 homes.
- Frodsham Solar, north of Frodsham in Cheshire, combines panels with battery storage. Its developer says it could generate enough electricity for 40,000 homes.
What happens next
The Planning Inspectorate lists Sea Link at the post-decision stage. Decisions of this kind can be challenged in the High Court within six weeks.