UK, Denmark eye power link by end-2022, later than planned

OSLO, Oct (HKSE: 3366-OL.HK - news) 22 (Reuters) - A planned first subsea power link between Denmark and Britain is expected to start at the end of 2022, later than previously expected, the grid companies said on Thursday as they announced plans for a seabed survey.

Britain is banking on power links with Europe to pick up the slack of its dwindling power capacity and to keep a lid on rising bills.

The exact timing for the start of the 1,400-megawatt Viking link would depend upon obtaining all of the necessary consents and a final investment decision in early 2018, Britain's National Grid (LSE: NG.L - news) and Denmark's Energinet.dk said in a joint statement.

The Viking link was one of several power interconnections shortlisted by Britain's energy market regulator Ofgem a year ago, with an expected connection date of Oct. 31, 2020.

The grid operators said they planned to appoint a marine contractor to carry out sea bed surveys between England and Denmark early next year to choose the best route for about 650 kilometres (404 miles) of cable.

The interconnector will give Britain access to a low carbon power source, while opening a new export route for Denmark and other Nordic countries to sell output from their wind and hydro power plants.

National Grid and the Norwegian transmission system operator Statnett also plan to build a 1,400 MW subsea link between the two countries by 2021.

(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis; Editing by Tom Heneghan)