Energy · Grid & power cuts · 2 November 2026
Government approves Sea Link undersea cable and two solar farms
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has approved Sea Link, an undersea power connection between Suffolk and Kent, alongside two major solar farms. The projects are part of a broader push to expand renewable energy infrastructure across the UK.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero announced on 30 October that it has approved Sea Link, a major undersea power connection linking Suffolk and Kent. The same decision covers the approval of two large-scale solar farms located in Nottinghamshire and Cheshire. These approvals form part of the ongoing expansion of the national grid to accommodate renewable energy sources.
Sea Link is capable of carrying 2 GW of power, a capacity sufficient to power the equivalent of 2 million homes. National Grid will deliver a community benefits scheme under which community funds in Kent and Suffolk will each receive over £1 million. Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: "By rewiring Britain we get homegrown power to where it's needed, we make sure the grid is resilient for the future and we bring bills down for good."
In Nottinghamshire, the Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park near Newark will have a generating capacity of 800 MW. This project is expected to power the equivalent of 400,000 homes and will be the joint biggest solar farm in the country by generating capacity, alongside Springwell Solar Farm. The Cheshire project is part of the same approval package, though specific capacity figures for that site are not detailed in the announcement.
The Great North Road project includes provisions for grazing livestock beneath the solar panels. Almost 4,000 sheep are expected to graze on the site, with numbers potentially rising to 9,000 during lambing. This biodiversity element is integrated into the design of the solar farm to support local ecosystems alongside energy generation.
Written by StreetOwl from Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s own announcement. It was drafted by StreetOwl’s own model, every figure and quotation was checked by code against the announcement, and it was read and approved by Michael Rossi before it went up. It says what was announced, not what anyone should do about it.
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