News
Growth of renewable energy heralds the rise of supercables
An electricity substation in Lincolnshire, eastern England, marks the landing point for the world’s longest two-way electricity cable. The Viking interconnector stretches across 765km of land and sea to connect Britain and Denmark’s electricity markets. The joint project between the UK’s National Grid and the Danish grid operator Energinet started commercial operations at the end of 2023, allowing traders to make the most of differing weathering patterns across the North Sea, importing electricity into the UK when it lacks wind and exporting when it has too much. It may not be the world’s longest cable for long. Developers are eyeing giant cable projects around the world as the growth of renewable energy creates huge value in trading electricity across different
MaresConnect at the Ireland–Wales Ministerial Forum
On 3 July 2025, the Waterfront Museum in Swansea hosted a significant gathering of leaders and stakeholders at the Ireland–Wales Ministerial Forum. MaresConnect was honoured to be invited to speak at the event and share our vision for the project – an important step in advancing energy integration between Ireland and Wales. Forum Highlights Chaired by the First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, and Ireland’s Tánaiste, Simon Harris TD, the Forum marked the launch of the Ireland–Wales Shared Statement to 2030. This forward-looking framework sets out a commitment to closer cooperation between the two nations across several strategically important areas. Among the themes discussed, energy collaboration was a key focus, with particular attention given to tangible projects such as the MaresConnect interconnector, which
MaresConnect welcomes positive decision from CRU on Initial Project Assessment (IPA)
MaresConnect Limited (MCL) welcomes the positive minded-to decision from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in Ireland regarding its Initial Project Assessment (IPA) of the MaresConnect interconnector. The CRU decision reflects the Irish Government Policy of 2023 on increased interconnection and follows Ofgem’s positive IPA decision in November 2024 and support for MaresConnect under the UK Government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. It marks a key milestone for the project and reaffirms the benefits the interconnector will deliver to infrastructure and consumers in both jurisdictions. The CRU’s announcement recognises MaresConnect’s strategic importance in strengthening cross-border energy security, supporting the integration of renewable energy, enhancing the electricity systems of both Ireland and Great Britain and important downward pressure on wholesale
Ryan welcomes electricity interconnector cable project
The decision by UK energy regulator Ofgem to approve two new electricity interconnectors between Britain and the island of Ireland has been welcomed by outgoing Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan. One interconnector project, LirIC, will link Scotland with Northern Ireland via a 142km subsea cable and deliver 0.7 GW of additional electricity capacity. The other, MaresConnect, is a 190km subsea cable between Wales and the Republic of Ireland which will deliver 0.75GW of additional electricity capacity Researcher in energy economics at UCD Professor Lisa Ryan said the news of these two interconnectors is “very welcome”. “Anybody modelling renewable energy sees interconnectors as necessary to decarbonise,” Prof Ryan said. Speaking in Baku, Azerbaijan, at the COP29 climate conference, Mr Ryan said