World's longest undersea and land power cable switched on in Lincolnshire

The cable is connected to the national grid at Bicker Fen in Lincolnshire

The world's longest undersea and land power cable has been switched on.

The £1.7bn Viking Link interconnector stretches 475 miles (764 km) from Denmark and connects to the Bicker Fen substation near Boston in Lincolnshire.

Operator National Grid said it would be used to supply cheaper electricity to the UK and could power up to 2.5m homes.

Katie Jackson from the energy firm described it as a "fantastic example of engineering and collaboration".

"As we deploy more wind power to meet our climate and energy security targets, connections to our neighbouring countries will play a vital role increasing security of supply and reducing prices for consumers," she said.

"Stretching further across land and sea than any of our existing links, it connects the UK to clean, green Danish energy, improving security of supply and bringing huge carbon and cost savings for UK consumers."

The cable was laid under the sea bed using a custom-built ship

Work started on the cable in 2019 and it is the sixth one linking the UK to Europe.

It was laid under the sea bed using a custom-built ship.

When it comes ashore at Sutton-on-Seas it runs for a further 42 miles (67km) to reach Bicker Fen, where it connects to the national grid.

National Grid said that over the next decade it expected its interconnectors would help the UK to avoid around 100m tonnes of carbon emissions and by 2030, 90% of the energy imported through its cables would be from zero-carbon energy sources.