£18bn project to link UK to huge wind and solar farm in Sahara delayed by a year

(The Guardian, 4 Dec 2022) Exclusive: Dave Lewis, chair of startup hoping to provide 8% of Britain’s energy, tells how political turmoil has delayed undersea cable project.

An £18bn project to connect Britain with a huge wind and solar farm in the Sahara through an undersea cable has been delayed by at least a year because of political ructions in Westminster.

The energy startup Xlinks hopes to provide 8% of Britain’s electricity supplies through a 3,800km (2,360-mile) cable linking Morocco with the UK, powering 7m homes by 2030.

The project had been expected to begin generating power by 2027. However, that target date now appears unlikely.

The Xlinks’ executive chair, Sir Dave Lewis, a former chief executive of Tesco, warned that the recent political turmoil that has seen off three prime ministers in less than six months has stalled its progress.

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The Guardian, 4 Dec 2022: £18bn project to link UK to huge wind and solar farm in Sahara delayed by a year