HM Treasury

Chief Secretary announces latest step in world leading power infrastructure project at Eurotunnel
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date 23 April 2014
source HM Treasury
type Press release

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Rt. Hon. Danny Alexander MP announces latest stage of plans to link the French and UK power grids.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Rt. Hon. Danny Alexander MP, has visited Eurotunnel where he announced the latest stage of pioneering new infrastructure plans to link the French and UK power grids.

The project, “Eleclink”, has just received the latest round of necessary approvals from energy regulators of France and the United Kingdom, CRE and OFGEM respectively, which Eurotunnel hope will pave the way for construction to begin later this year.

Now in its 20th year, over 330 million people have travelled through the Channel Tunnel. However this latest project will carry power not people across the channel and help send up to 50 per cent more electricity between Britain and France.

In a speech to Eurotunnel employees the Chief Secretary also announced how over 2000 infrastructure projects and improvements have now been successfully completed since 2010. Some highlights include:

Over 850 energy generation projects have been completed since 2010, including the £1.5 billion London Array offshore wind project, and the £1.3 billion gas-fired power station in Pembroke. It also includes many smaller scale innovative green energy schemes of local significance
Over 500 flood defence schemes have been completed – including protection along the River Trent in Nottingham, and on the Humber in Stallingborough
Over 650 transport upgrades are now complete – from the enormous new London Gateway Port, to hundreds of railway station improvements up and down the country.

Railhub Archive ::: 2014-04-23 HMT-001