The Suffolk onshore scheme

• a connection from the existing transmission network via the proposed Friston Substation, including the substation itself. Friston Substation already has development consent as part of other third-party projects. If Friston Substation has already been constructed under another consent, only a connection into the substation would be constructed by Sea Link
• a high voltage alternating current (HVAC) underground cable of approximately 1.9 km in length between the proposed Friston Substation and a proposed converter station (below)
• a 2 GW high voltage direct current (HVDC) converter station up to 26 metres high plus external equipment (such as lightning protection & railings for walkways) near Saxmundham
• a HVDC underground cable connection of approximately 10 km in length between the proposed converter station near Saxmundham, and a transition joint bay (TJB) approximately 900 m inshore from a landfall point (below) where the cable transitions from onshore to offshore technology
• a landfall on the Suffolk coast (between Aldeburgh and Thorpeness).

The offshore scheme

• approximately 122 km of subsea HVDC cable, running between the Suffolk landfall location (between Aldeburgh and Thorpeness), and the Kent landfall location at Pegwell Bay.

The Kent onshore scheme

• a landfall point on the Kent coast at Pegwell Bay
• a TJB approximately 800 m inshore to transition from offshore HVDC cable to onshore HVDC cable, before continuing underground for approximately 2 km to a proposed new converter station (below)
• a 2 GW HVDC converter station, up to 28 m high plus external equipment (such as lightning protection & railings for walkways), near Minster. A new substation would be located immediately adjacent
• removal of approximately 2.2 km of existing HVAC overhead line, and installation of approximately 3.5 km of new HVAC overhead line from the converter station and substation near Minster and the existing Richborough to Canterbury overhead line. 

Our proposals for Sea Link also include modifications to sections of existing overhead lines in Suffolk (only if Friston substation is not built as part of other third-party projects) and Kent, diversions of third-party assets, and land drainage from the construction and operational footprint. The proposals also include opportunities for environmental mitigation, compensation and enhancement (which could include hedgerow creation, native tree planting or habitat creation). The construction phase will involve various temporary construction activities including overhead line diversions, use of temporary towers or masts, working areas for construction equipment and machinery, site offices, parking spaces, storage, accesses, bellmouths, and haul roads, as well as watercourse crossings and the diversion of public rights of way.
 

Changes to our proposals

In July 2024, we set out some changes we are making to our plans that we wanted to share with you before we submit our application for development consent early next year. The refinements and changes do not substantially alter the project as a whole; much of our proposals remain largely the same as presented at our statutory consultation. They include:

• in Suffolk, the proposed changes included an alteration to the cable route north of Aldeburgh, confirmation of the proposed access route to the converter station and changes to this access route and the associated bridge over the River Fromus. We also proposed various changes to construction and maintenance access routes, compounds, and temporary overhead line diversions, and have identified additional land for environmental mitigation and enhancement. The strategy for coordination with other projects also evolved
• offshore, the proposed changes included refinements to the cable route, additional marine areas for construction vessel manoeuvring, and changes to the approach for backfilling marine trenches
• in Kent, the proposed changes included an increase of the overall maximum height of the converter station, confirmation of the type of pylon we intend to use for the connection to the existing overhead line, and identifying a further construction and maintenance access route off Sandwich Road via the former hoverport. We also proposed various other changes to construction and maintenance access routes, compounds, and temporary overhead line diversions, and identified additional land for environmental mitigation and enhancement.

You can read more about the changes by reading chapter 4 of our project update document, which is available in our Document library. You can also view the changes on our interactive map.

 Interactive map