Xlinks, the company behind the world’s longest subsea power cable between the UK and Morocco is calling on the British government to back the project, saying political support is critical to making it a reality, Bloomberg reported.
Xlinks plans to invest up to USD 29.9 billion in the colossal infrastructure project, with about USD 6.2 billion earmarked for the UK. The project would use Morocco’s abundant wind and solar energy to provide the UK with a stable source of green power.
Dave Lewis, Xlinks chairman, highlighted the cable’s potential impact. “It offers enough stable, reliable, and dedicated supply to power 7 million homes, or 8% of current electricity needs,” Lewis said in an interview.
“It brings billions in inward investment. It helps reduce wholesale energy prices while cutting emissions. It also answers the Dunkelflaute challenge. All without the need for government investment. My view is: why wouldn’t you?” he maintained.
Xlinks is negotiating with the government to secure a contract to sell electricity at fixed prices.
The project, slated to go online in 2031, faces a tight timeline. The UK has set a 2030 deadline for achieving a clean power grid, and Xlinks needs to move quickly after the delays caused by last year’s general election.
The company intends to reach a final investment decision this year, achieve a financial close in 2026, and begin construction before the end of 2025.
The plan involves 11.5 gigawatts of solar and wind capacity, supported by battery storage. The electricity will travel roughly 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) through subsea cables along Portugal, Spain, and France before crossing the English Channel and connecting to the UK’s power grid in the southwestern region of Devon.
Major energy players are already backing Xlinks. GE Vernova Inc. invested USD 10.2 million in the project last year, joining a roster of investors that includes France’s TotalEnergies SE, Abu Dhabi National Energy Co., and the UK’s largest retail energy supplier, Octopus Energy.