The Tarchon interconnector project is nearing the end of its first phase of early non-statutory public consultation. The proposed Tarchon project will create a direct power link between Essex in Great Britain, and Niederlangen, in Lower Saxony, Germany. With the consultation period ending on Monday 7th April at 10am, the project team is encouraging communities local to the project to submit their views and thoughts.

Tarchon is an electricity interconnector with 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 will increase the efficient use of renewable energy, as well as providing significant socio-economic welfare benefit and security of supply for both countries as they strive to achieve their net zero targets, ultimately aiming to increase energy market flexibility and reduce consumer costs.

The project team held four public in-person events from the 17th-20th March, which saw more than 290 people meet project team members and discuss their questions, comments and concerns. Held in Ardleigh, Wix, Lawford and Harwich, the events showcased project maps, survey information, an overview of the onshore and offshore construction plans, details on the technical delivery of the cable route and more. All information from the events is also available in digital format on the project website.

Jonathan Wood, Project Director says,

“We have appreciated this opportunity to engage with the local communities at this early stage of project development and discuss the progress made to date, whilst seeking feedback as input to our ongoing planning. We established these initial, voluntary engagement events as part of our non-statutory consultation and we will continue to engage during the remainder of the project development.

It was important to us to communicate the value that interconnectors bring to the UK and how vital they are for the UK’s green energy future. Interconnectors allow the country not only to meet the Government’s ambitious carbon reduction targets, but also to create a more secure and cost-effective energy future for consumers.

We were happy to see so many people during our events, and we want to ensure that we have the widest representation of local views as we move forward through the design refinement phases. Thank you to everyone that has attended an event or provided feedback online to date; all of the feedback will be taken into consideration as the project progresses. I strongly encourage all those who are interested in, or may be affected by, the Tarchon project, such as residents, community groups, farmers, fishers, businesses and other stakeholders to share your views at this key phase for development.”

A later phase of statutory feedback is also planned, and the Tarchon team will continue to share updates on the project and design, via a community newsletter, which is available for sign-up here.