The United Kingdom and Norway have completed the construction of the world’s longest submarine power cable. It was announced by the Norwegian power grid operator Statnett on Tuesday. The 720 km long cable allows British wind power to be exchanged for Norwegian hydropower.

The power cable, 716 kilometres underwater, connects Suldal in Southeast Norway with Blyth in the United Kingdom. The cost of the cable connection is estimated at 1.2 billion GBP. The maximum capacity is about 1,400 MW, which is not a very impressive price/power ratio, but it will definitely please green energy enthusiasts.

“This is an important collaboration between the UK and Norway to make the most of our renewable energy sources,” says Nigel Williams, project leader at the UK operator National Grid, who, like Statnett, controls 50 percent of the project.

The submarine cable takes over the record of longest submarine cable from Nordlink (623 kilometres, of which 516 are underwater).