According to an October 24, 2022, press release, PPL Corp. and Elia Group have agreed to propose transmission solutions to efficiently integrate future offshore wind capacity into New England’s onshore grid.[1] The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to work together to develop, build, and operate transmission assets. The partnership combines PPL’s experience in building and operating large-scale onshore transmission through its PPL Translink subsidiary with Elia Group’s track record in building and operating offshore transmission, including high-voltage direct current (HVDC) networks, through its WindGrid subsidiary. Later in October 2022, PPL and Windgrid plan to jointly respond to a September 2022 request for information (RFI) issued by five New England states[2], which seeks input on the transmission system changes and upgrades needed to integrate future renewable energy resources into their grids.

Through its subsidiaries in Belgium and Germany, Elia Group has connected 14 wind farms (3,500 MW by the end of 2022) to its onshore grid. It is also currently operating three HVDC subsea cable interconnectors. In addition, the company is developing the world’s first energy islands that will link wind farms and HVDC interconnectors to multiple European countries. Overall, the company’s transmission system has a reliability rate of 99.99%. For its part, PPL has invested more than $9 billion in transmission in the United States over the past decade.

[1] https://pplweb.mediaroom.com/2022-10-24-PPL-and-Elia-Group-subsidiaries-announce-agreement-to-develop-and-propose-innovative-transmission-solutions-to-connect-future-offshore-wind-capacity-to-onshore-grid-in-New-England

[2] Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, and New Hampshire