The GE Vernova/Mytilineos consortium has secured a £1bn ($1.25bn) contract from the UK's National Grid Electricity Transmission and SP Transmission to build the country's first high-capacity east coast subsea link.

The consortium will supply and build two HVDC converter stations for EGL1, a joint venture of National Grid Electricity Transmission and SP Transmission.

GE Vernova’s grid solutions president and CEO Philippe Piron stated: “Together with our consortium partner MYTILINEOS, we are honoured to have been awarded the HVDC contract for EGL1, one of the UK’s largest-ever transmission projects.

“This critical project to the UK’s decarbonisation and energy security efforts adds to a growing backlog of projects that are utilising GE Vernova’s advanced HVDC technology.”

EGL1 will involve the construction of a 190km, 525kV/2GW bipole voltage-sourced converter (VSC) and HVDC subsea transmission cable between Torness in East Lothian, Scotland, and Hawthorn Pit in County Durham, England.

GE Vernova will supply its VSC HVDC technology, second-generation VSC valve and eLumina control system.

MYTILINEOS will oversee the engineering, procurement and construction of the civil works, the balance of plant and the installation of all equipment.

The project’s design phase will begin in January 2024 and construction in 2025.

The EGL1 HVDC link will transmit enough clean energy to power two million homes across the UK.

MYTILINEOS chairman and CEO Evangelos Mytilineos stated: “We are very satisfied with National Grid and SP Transmission’s vote of confidence in MYTILINEOS’ capabilities to execute the EGL1 project together with our consortium partner GE Vernova.

“MYTILINEOS looks forward to bringing its decades-long expertise in managing and building big and complex grid projects to this vital UK energy transition project.”