Construction work on a major UK electricity infrastructure project has took a significant step forward with a ground-breaking ceremony in Scotland and England at either end of the £4.3 billion EGL2 project – a 2GW subsea electricity link.

Representatives from National Grid and SSEN Transmission took the first ceremonial spadefuls of earth, marking the start of main construction, at events held at either end of the subsea link in Peterhead in Scotland and Wren Hall in Drax, near Selby in North Yorkshire.

After travelling 436km under the sea from Peterhead, EGL2's subsea cable will come ashore on the East Yorkshire coast at Fraisthorpe Sands and then run underground for 68km to a new high voltage current (HVDC) converter station at Drax. Once complete, it will unlock the rich renewable energy capacity of Scotland and significantly increase the UK’s capacity to deliver clean energy for around two million homes.

At peak periods of construction, the project is expected to support hundreds of local jobs in Yorkshire, through supply chain and construction activity. More than 200 representatives from local businesses attended a buyer event earlier this year, covering a diverse range of skillsets from plant hire and catering to steel fixing and logistics. The range of services and expertise showcased the breadth of sectors operating within the region and confirmed National Grid’s commitment to use local suppliers where possible, creating employment opportunities and establishing shorter supply chains to boost sustainability.

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Representatives from National Grid were joined in Yorkshire by colleagues from specialist HVDC cable supplier, Prysmian, and Hitachi Energy and BAM, responsible for the supply of converter stations at either end of the project, underlining the collaborative spirit and support for the much-anticipated scheme.

EGL2 is the first of four currently proposed 2GW projects between Scotland and England to begin construction and in total these projects, delivered in partnership by National Grid, could provide enough renewable electricity to power eight million homes.

Commenting at the ceremony, Offshore Delivery Director for National Grid, Zac Richardson said: "This marks an important moment for all involved in the project and the commitment of both National Grid and SSEN in delivering major projects that will play a key role in supporting the UK’s transition to a net zero economy.

"EGL2 is the first of four currently proposed 2GW projects between Scotland and England to begin construction and in total these projects, delivered in partnership by National Grid, could provide enough renewable electricity to power eight million homes.

"Achieving this first milestone wouldn't have been possible without the huge commitment of the project team, our construction partners, stakeholders and the invaluable feedback from local communities."