• The proposed 750km long Tarchon interconnector would have capacity to deliver 1.4 gigawatts of electricity; enough to power 1.5 million homes
• The project will ensure the energy security and reliability of the UK and Germany as both countries move towards a carbon-free future
• You can share your views on the plans as an initial consultation launches on Monday 10 March, including four local events 

Plans to ensure the energy security and reliability of Great Britain for years to come are being open to public feedback with an initial consultation which begins on Monday 10 March 2025.

The Tarchon project is proposed to create a direct power link between Essex in Great Britain, and a landing site at Niederlangen, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It will connect the two countries’ energy markets, increasing the security and reliability of their electrical systems in addition to facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources. The project ultimately aims to increase energy market flexibility to reduce consumer costs.

The interconnector will be a combination of land and subsea cables approximately 750km in length and will allow 1.4GW of electricity to move in either direction, enough to power 1.5 million homes. Tarchon is launching an initial, non-statutory consultation in the UK, with public, stakeholders, and all interested parties being invited to learn more about the project, benefits to the UK energy markets, and to share their views either online or in person at a series of events.

The consultation will run from Monday 10 March to Monday 7 April 2025. Residents, businesses and community groups can learn about the Tarchon project and share their feedback online on the project website www.tarchonenergy.net. They are also invited to attend any of Tarchon’s four public events taking place throughout the consultation period, where they can discuss their questions with the project team, which will help inform and develop the proposal for the scheme.

The events will be held at: 

• Ardleigh Village Hall, CO7 7RS, on Monday 17 March from 18:30 to 21:30
• Wix Village Hall, CO11 2RY, on Tuesday 18 March from 14:00 to 20:00
• Venture Centre 2000, Lawford, CO11 2JE, on Wednesday 19 March from 13:00 to 17:00
• Harwich and Dovercourt Golf Club, CO12 4NZ, on Thursday 20 March from 14:00 to 20:00 

Jonathon Wood, Project Director for Tarchon, said: “The project will be a significant investment in UK and German infrastructure, unlocking notable socio-economic benefits to both societies. We believe this represents a real boost for the East of England, supporting the local economy and creating further benefits in the communities which we will be working within. As such, we want to hear the views of all of those who are interested in, or may be affected by, the Tarchon project, such as residents, community groups, farmers, fishers, businesses and other stakeholders. This non-statutory consultation provides an opportunity at an early stage of development for everyone to share their thoughts and views on our plans, where we can listen to the feedback received and consider it wherever possible. A later phase of statutory consultation is also planned.”

Electricity interconnectors like Tarchon allow electricity from renewable sources to flow between countries or regions, helping to smooth out the peaks and troughs of demand on the system. When one country faces reduced energy supply it can rely on a shared supply pool, tapping into excess renewable energy from neighbouring countries.

The UK has a legal obligation to ensure 95% of its energy is generated from clean sources by 2030. The UK aims to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, while Germany targets reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2045.

In November 2024, Ofgem confirmed its support for the Tarchon project to proceed and participate in the regulatory process, noting that it is in the interest of Great Britain’s consumers, as Tarchon will support the lowering of everyday energy prices by providing more flexibility to the market.

Following this consultation period, Tarchon will use all feedback gained to progress towards the next steps in the project timeline, including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) scoping later in 2025 and the statutory consultation scheduled for early 2026.