The Danish transmission system operator (TSO) Energinet and its British counterpart National Grid have postponed the commissioning of their proposed 1.4 GW HVDC Viking Link Interconnector project linking Denmark and the United Kingdom by one year to 2023, citing delays in the approval process in the United Kingdom. Project developers failed to secure approval from one of the four affected local planning authorities (East Lindsey District Council) in June 2018. They have lodged an appeal against this decision with The Planning Inspectorate, whose decision is expected in early 2019. Partners are also waiting for marine licences approval in Germany (by the end of 2018).
Viking Link is a DKR11bn (€1.48bn) interconnection project, which will stretch from Revsing in Jutland (Denmark) to Bicker Fen in Lincolnshire (United Kingdom) through the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. It includes a 630 km long submarine cable in the North Sea and 140 km of land cables.