The world’s largest multi-use electricity power line  is to be built under the North Sea. This will aim to boost UK energy supplies with enough to power 1.8 million homes – more than Birmingham and Manchester combined.

The new LionLink will connect the UK and the Netherlands with offshore wind farms, providing clean affordable and secure energy to Britain which will help cut household bills and drive Putin’s Russia further out of the energy market.

The cross-border electricity line will be only the second of its kind in the world, with the first having been built by Germany and Denmark. However, it will be able to carry more than 4 times the amount of electricity as its predecessor – making it the largest of its kind in terms of capacity anywhere in the world.

While normal interconnectors only connect 2 countries, the multipurpose LionLink will join the UK and Netherlands to each other as well as simultaneously with offshore wind farms at the heart of the North Sea.

Ben Wilson, President, National Grid Ventures, said:

"Connecting wind farms to multiple markets simultaneously is a game changer for energy infrastructure and brings us one step closer to realising the enormous green energy potential of the North Sea."

Rob Jetten, Minister, Climate & Energy for the Netherlands , said:

"With the North Sea becoming the largest supplier of green electricity for the Netherlands and large parts of Europe, we are ready to expand the interconnection between the 2 countries. LionLink provides close to 2 gigawatts of electricity to both countries, enough to power 2 million households."