A group of four European energy companies on Friday revealed plans for a subsea electricity cable to bring more power from Germany to Norway from 2011.
The 700 megawatt (MW) cable which would boost power flows between continental Europe and the hydropower reliant Nordic region would cost 500 million euros (USD 659.8 million), the consortium said in a statement issued in Germany. The cost would be shared equally by Agder Energi and Lyse of Norway, EGL of Switzerland, and northern German utility EWE, a spokeswoman for EWE said.
The four firms were due to officially sign plans for the cable and a joint venture firm called NorGer in Kristiansand in southern Norway on Friday, she said.
Kristiansand is near the planned 750 km-long cable’s landing point Feda, where another cable to the Netherlands is currently under construction, and from where it would run to Wilhelmshaven in north-west Germany.
“By increasing the import capacity for electricity to Norway, the NorGer cable will make a significant contribution towards reducing the present Norwegian electricity shortage in dry years,” the statement said.
It added that the cable would have environmental benefits as it could iron out swings of the German wind power system without the need to turn to carbon-dioxide emitting coal or gas-fired power generation.
(Reuters)
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/12/01/undersea-power-scheme-unveiled/