Energinet, the developer of the new electricity 800MW Viking Link connection between Denmark and England, has announced that the project is scheduled for commissioning on December 29, 2023. However, the full capacity of 1400MW will not be immediately offered to the electricity market due to limitations in the West Jutland high-voltage grid.
According to Energinet, the existing electricity grid faces the risk of overloading and potential supply failures if the Viking Link connection were to be granted full freedom from day one. The West Jutland high-voltage grid has not been developed sufficiently to accommodate the complete capacity from the start.
Energinet is actively working on market and operational measures to gradually increase the potential for more import and export of power across the North Sea. The delay in the development of the 400kV high-voltage grid in West Jutland, from Idomlund by Holstebro in the north to the Danish-German border in the south, has resulted in the need for mitigating measures.
Klaus Winther, Director of System Responsibility at Energinet, explained, “Because the reinforcements of the high-voltage network in West Jutland are delayed, we have always known that it was a challenge to offer the full capacity of Viking Link to the electricity market from day one, but possible with a number of mitigating measures.”
The expansion of 400kV connections along the West Coast has faced delays, including stricter requirements for environmental approvals. As a result, the new 400kV connections have only recently commenced construction, and their completion does not align with the commissioning timeline of Viking Link.
With the existing West Jutland electricity grid unable to handle the full power that Danish electricity producers intend to send through Viking Link to sell in England, Energinet emphasized the need for caution to prevent overload risks and threats to the security of supply.
Energinet aims to release 800MW to the electricity market, pushing the existing electricity grid in West Jutland closer to its limits while ensuring available capacity in Viking Link. The company is actively working on both market and operational measures to continuously increase the capacity of Viking Link.
The expansion of the 400kV network along the west coast of Jutland is expected to significantly enhance the capacity of the western Danish high-voltage network, enabling the utilization of full capacity in Viking Link. The initial phase of the West Coast connections is anticipated to be operational in the first quarter of 2025.
