National Grid UK has announced a £400 million investment to maintain and expand the electricity operations between Britain and France until 2050. This project, known as Interconnexion France-Angleterre (IFA), is celebrating its 40th anniversary and aims to strengthen energy security and increase efficiency for consumers in both countries.
Investment Details and Impact
This investment is part of a larger plan by National Grid, which includes a minimum investment of £70 billion across the group by March 2031. The IFA link, with a capacity of 2 gigawatts, is the largest underwater connection in Britain and provides enough electricity to meet the annual needs of about three million British homes.
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Since its inception in 1986, net electricity imports from this link have reached about 409 terawatt-hours, significantly exceeding Britain's annual electricity needs. While electricity has historically flowed primarily towards Britain, the IFA also supports reverse flows under favorable market conditions.
Future Plans and Infrastructure Upgrades
By extending the IFA operations until 2050, this investment will help support the bidirectional flow of electricity between the two countries, enhancing energy security and providing value to consumers on both sides. National Grid's plans include upgrading technical equipment, buildings, and facilities at the connection site.
According to Rebecca Sadler, Head of NGV UK, the IFA has shared secure and affordable electricity between Britain and France over the past 40 years and has made significant payments to British consumers since 2020. Sadler added, "This new investment allows us to respond to new electricity needs, including electric vehicles and artificial intelligence technologies."
The length of the IFA link is approximately 70 kilometers, with 45 kilometers underwater. Additionally, two other connections are currently serving to link the two countries; including IFA2 with a capacity of 1 gigawatt, which was commissioned in January 2021, and ElecLink with a capacity of 1 gigawatt, which was launched in May 2022.
In May 2024, the French Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) announced that it is exploring new opportunities for electricity connections to Britain. In February 2025, the CRE and the independent energy regulator in Britain, Ofgem, agreed to continue exploring further development opportunities for electricity connections with a capacity of about 1 gigawatt between the two countries.
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