On behalf of East Suffolk Council’s Cabinet member for Energy and Climate Change and the Energy Projects Team, please see below an overview of this month’s core energy project updates:
Sea Link – National Grid Electricity Transmission
National Grid proposes to reinforce the electricity network between Suffolk and Kent via a new 2GW high voltage direct current (HVDC) link between a proposed substation near Friston in Suffolk and the existing Richborough to Canterbury 400kV overhead line in Kent. Sea Link is in the formal 6-month examination phase with the Planning Inspectorate, having less than 1 month left closing on 5th May. ESC officers continue to engage with the examination, reviewing submitted materials, preparing responses, engaging with local community representatives and making submissions.
Deadline 6 of the examination is 13th April 2026 and includes ESC’s post hearing submissions (CAH2 and ISH3), responses to the third round of written questions from the Examining Authority, and responses to hearing actions. ESC have also been engaging with local communities on aspirational community benefits, whilst liaising with National Grid on potential funding initiatives. ESC has also been updating the draft Statement of Common Ground with NGET for Deadline 7 which is 29th April 2026 – being the last submission deadline of the examination. Officers continue to engage with the Examination, making submissions at deadlines and attending and making representations at hearings. Outside of this, officers continue to engage with the applicant and stakeholders.
Once the examination closes, there will be a 3-month period for the Planning Inspectorate’s Examining Authority to make a recommendation on the project, and a further 3-month period for the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to decide whether to grant development consent or not. If consented, as with all DCOs, there will be a 6 week window of time for any legal challenges to be lodged regarding the decision.
- Up to date Sea Link project information is available on the Planning Inspectorate’s website Sea Link - Project information
- The Rule 8 letter which contains the revised examination timetable (Annex A) can be found here
- ESC’s principal areas of disagreement summary statement (PADSS) can be found here
- Cllr Tom Daly (Cabinet Member for Energy and Climate Change) – Open Floor Hearing 3 speech can be found here (starts at 6m24s).
LionLink Multi-Purpose Interconnector – National Grid Ventures
LionLink is a new subsea electricity cable (known as an interconnector) proposed to run between Great Britain and the Netherlands. The project is being developed by National Grid Ventures (NGV) and Dutch partner, TenneT. LionLink remains in the pre-application phase. Statutory consultation opened on 13th January, and closed on 10th March (running for 8 weeks) – on the same day as Sea Link’s Deadline 5. ESC submitted a detailed 75 page response which can be viewed here.
The next stage for the project will be concluding environmental surveys and data collection to inform the EIA ready for the submission of the application for Development Consent to the Planning Inspectorate – this is currently scheduled for Q4 2026.
- The Planning Inspectorate’s project page can be found here.
- DCO submission to PINS expected in late 2026 LionLink About | National Grid Group
Sizewell C – SZC Co
Sizewell C was granted development consent in 2022, and construction formally commenced in January 2022. Construction is anticipated to last 9-12 years. ESC has extensive responsibilities throughout the construction and operational phases. For the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (energy projects) team, this centres around processing and determining all planning submissions made under the Development Consent Order. This includes determining discharge of requirement applications and responding to consultations on applications/permits/submissions from other regulatory bodies, including from Suffolk County Council. The first half of 2026 will see works progress at pace in the Friday Street (A12/A1094) area and the Yoxford area. The Friday Street and Yoxford roundabouts linked to the A12 are now open to traffic with landscaping and final works due to be completed over the summer. Both the Southern Park and Ride (Wickham Market) and Northern Park and Ride (Darsham) will be opening in phases beginning from spring, with full openings due in the late summer, following partial operation starting in late 2025.
Milestones for the rail programme have recently been reached, with the trainline and rail head at the Ancillary Construction Area (ACA) fully installed and the first engineering train reaching the ACA in mid-February, followed by the first aggregate train into the ACA in early March. The Green Rail Route continues to be built from Buckleswood Road to the Temporary Construction Area (TCA), in February rail tracks began to be laid across the B1122 (Abbey Road). The level crossing will be constructed later in the year.
Works continue in the beach and harbour area this spring, with a noticeable increase in marine activity associated with construction of the Construction Drainage Outfall and desalination pipes, and construction of the Marine Bulk Import Facility (MBIF). These works require footpath restrictions, which will be lifted over the weekends.
The Orwell Logistics Park freight management facility is also now fully open with 350 office-based staff now working from the site. Discharge of requirements is ongoing. Recently approvals include Bespoke Mitigation Plans for noise and vibration, submitted under the Noise Monitoring and Management Plans.
Officers continue to engage with the project’s formal governance structure and attend public forums held by SZC Co.
- Discharges for Sizewell C are ongoing. All discharges are on Public Access and can be found here: Requirement discharge information and applications » East Suffolk Council
- The Sizewell C Works Tracker provides the most current snapshot of ‘on the ground’ activity. Works can be followed on the Works Tracker: Home - Sizewell C Works Tracker (szcworkstracker.co.uk)
ScottishPower Renewables (SPR)
The East Anglia TWO and East Anglia ONE North offshore wind farm projects have now concluded the primary discharge of requirements attached to the DCO consents for the onshore works. The ESC team have now discharged the DCO requirements for both projects associated with the ‘substations stage’. Substation civil and ground works commenced on site in early March 2026.
- More details on the projects can be found here.
Norwich to Tilbury
The Project proposes to reinforce the high voltage (400 kV) electricity transmission network between Norwich Main down to Tilbury in Essex. The Project will involve new overhead power lines (400kV) as well as new substation works at Norwich Main (Norfolk), Bramford (Suffolk), Lawford, Tendring (Essex) and Tilbury (Essex). ESC will be monitoring the examination and hearings, noting we submitted a Relevant Representation, however we defer to the host authorities as the project is entirely located outside of the ESC district.
- More details can be found on the PINS website here.