Nemo Link
OperationalCross Border
GBBE
1,000 MW400 kV140 km2019Basic information
8 fieldsAlso Known As
Nemo · NESO TEC PRO-000974
Status
operational
Capacity
1,000 MW
Project Company
Type
cross border
Expected Life
25 years
Website
Supply Chain (23)
Project Timeline (17)
31 Jan 2019Commercial Operations Full Power
Nemo Link was formally commissioned on 31 January 2019, completing a roughly 10‑year development and construction phase and bringing into service a 1,000 MW, 140 km HVDC subsea interconnector between Bruges in Belgium and Richborough in Great Britain.
31 Jan 2019First Power
At 00:00 on 31 January 2019, energy exchange through Nemo Link began, with power first transmitted from Belgium to Great Britain and a forecast 18,559 MWh transported on the first operational day.
1 Jan 2019Onss Commissioned
The Nemo Link onshore converter stations and associated substations at Richborough in Kent, UK and Herdersbrug near Zeebrugge, Belgium were commissioned and brought into service, enabling the 1,000 MW HVDC interconnector to operate and exchange electricity between the British and Belgian grids.
~Dec 2017Cable Installation Complete
The 2 km of onshore land cable on the UK side of the Nemo Link interconnector were scheduled to be and were reported as due to be finalised by the end of 2017, effectively completing the UK onshore cable installation segment of the project.
15 Sept 2017Onshore Construction Start
By mid‑September 2017, construction works had started on both Nemo Link converter station sites, while UK land cable works were nearing completion and Belgian land cable works had recently begun, indicating active onshore construction across the project.
15 Sept 2017Cable Installation Start
The Nemo Link joint venture started laying the first 59 km section of the double subsea cable between the French offshore section and the UK landfall, initiating offshore cable installation for the interconnector; remaining Belgian offshore sections were scheduled to follow in spring 2018.
Jun 2015Epci Contract Awarded
In June 2015, Siemens was awarded the contract to construct both Nemo Link converter stations, and J-Power Systems (a subsidiary of Sumitomo Electric Industries) was awarded the subsea cable contract, with a combined contract value of approximately €500 million including a five‑year service and maintenance agreement.
8 Jun 2015Converter Supplier Selected
Siemens awarded major contract by Nemo Link Limited to deliver the complete HVDC PLUS onshore converter stations at Richborough (UK) and Herdersbrug (Belgium) for the 1,000 MW interconnector, including five-year service agreement.
8 Jun 2015Cable Supplier Selected
On 8 June 2015, Nemo Link Limited, the joint venture between National Grid and Elia, awarded J-Power Systems Corporation (a subsidiary of Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.) a full EPC contract to design, manufacture and install the underground and subsea HVDC XLPE cable system for the 1,000 MW Nemo Link interconnector between Kent in the UK and Zeebrugge in Belgium, covering approximately 130 km of subsea cable and 11.5 km of land cable. This award formally selected J-Power Systems as the cable supplier and installation contractor for the project, within an overall project value of around €500 million.
Feb 2015Joint Venture Formed
The joint venture agreement between National Grid Nemo Link (a subsidiary of National Grid, the GB system operator) and Belgian transmission system operator Elia to build the Nemo Link interconnector was formally signed, establishing the project company to develop and operate the link.