In late September 2023 the Energy Secretary, Claire Coutinho, issued a direction bringing the Xlinks Morocco–UK Power Project into the regime for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). The developer had asked for this earlier that month. It meant the UK end of the scheme, centred on a grid connection at Alverdiscott in north Devon, would need a Development Consent Order decided by central government after examination by the Planning Inspectorate, rather than planning permission from local councils.
The idea was unusually ambitious. Xlinks planned large wind and solar farms with battery storage in the Guelmim Oued Noun region of southern Morocco, linked to Britain by roughly 3,800 km of high-voltage direct current cables running north through the Atlantic. The company said the link would deliver 3.6 GW to the British grid, which it claimed could meet about 8% of the country’s electricity demand. Because Moroccan sun and wind follow different patterns from British weather, supporters argued it would provide steadier supply than domestic renewables alone. Early backers included TAQA and Octopus Energy, and TotalEnergies invested in November 2023.
NSIP status gave the project a defined legal process and timetable. It did not provide funding. The scheme’s business model depended on a government-backed Contract for Difference (CfD) lasting 25 years, negotiated directly with ministers rather than won at auction.
What happened next
- 2024: Xlinks held further public consultation and submitted its DCO application in November 2024. The Planning Inspectorate accepted it for examination in December 2024.
- 26 June 2025: The government said it would no longer consider a CfD for the project. In a written statement, energy minister Michael Shanks said continuing to consider support was not in the national interest at this time. He pointed to the high delivery, operational and security risks of a first-of-a-kind scheme and to better value from projects in Great Britain. Xlinks said it was disappointed, noted that more than £100 million had been spent on development, and said it would look for another way forward.
- 1 July 2025: Xlinks formally withdrew its DCO application. Its letter to the Planning Inspectorate said a new delivery approach might require design changes and fresh consultation, which the examination timetable could not accommodate.
- December 2025: Xlinks reshuffled its leadership. Its chair, Sir Dave Lewis, left the board, and the company said it was still analysing alternative routes to sell the power.
- June 2026: Xlinks put forward a different scheme in north Devon: a large data-centre campus with battery storage near Great Torrington. It said it had chosen the area partly because of spare grid capacity at Alverdiscott substation, originally reserved for the Morocco link. Public information events took place in July 2026.
As of October 2026 there is no live planning application for the Morocco–UK cable, no government support contract and no announced buyer for its power. The project has not been formally abandoned, but it is not progressing in the UK.
Why it matters for UK energy
The Xlinks case shows the limits of planning status on its own: very large, first-of-a-kind schemes still depend on long-term revenue support, and the government chose to prioritise generation in Great Britain. It also shows how valuable grid connections have become, with the Devon connection point now proposed for a different use. For context on Britain’s wider supply picture, see our UK energy hub.