Grid companies eye UK-Dutch offshore wind power link

British and Dutch grid operators will explore the feasibility of building an electricity interconnector between the two countries, linking offshore wind assets, they said on Tuesday.

Britain has sub-sea electricity interconnectors linking to France, Ireland and an existing link with the Netherlands, but plans to build several more to increase its supply options as older coal and nuclear plants close.

Both countries also plan to significantly increase their offshore wind capacity, to help meet their climate targets.

"This agreement allows us to work with National Grid in the North Sea to develop innovative infrastructure that uses every spare electron of offshore wind generation to reach our decarbonisation targets," Manon van Beek, CEO of Dutch gird operator TenneT said in a joint statement with Britain's National Grid.

If successful, TenneT and National Grid said the project could be operational by 2029.

It would add 2 gigawatts (GW) of interconnection capacity between the two countries, they said.

(Reporting By Susanna Twidale; editing by David Evans)