Construction Other

Permanent construction works for Eastern Green Link 1 began on the English side of the project in early February 2026 at Murton and Hawthorn Pit in County Durham, slightly ahead of an originally announced March 2026 start. The works prepare the foundations for the new HVDC converter station and the new 400 kV AC substation being built between the villages of Murton and South Hetton, adjacent to the existing Hawthorn Pit grid substation. Murphy Group is delivering the substation works as principal contractor under the National Grid Electricity Transmission contract; GE Vernova's Grid Solutions business with MYTILINEOS Energy & Metals is delivering the two onshore HVDC converter stations under their £1 billion EPC contract. Activities through 2026 will include digging of cable joint bays and trenches, in addition to HDD works along the cable route. The English permanent works mark the second-stage transition from the earlier enabling-works phase that followed the project's formal construction start at Torness on 13 February 2025. Construction will continue throughout 2026 with a project target of full operation in 2029.