OFGEM has approved five major new undersea energy links, including one which will come ashore in Bodelwyddan.

These projects will aim to harness the potential of winds from the North Sea to power millions of homes.

Of these projects, Mares Connect, a 190km subsea cable between Bodelwyddan and Ireland, will deliver 750MW (0.75GW) of additional electricity capacity.

The converter station in Bodelwyddan will be located close to its existing National Grid substation.

The new projects are all expected to be complete and operational by the end of 2032, though planning consent must first still be obtained.

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Another two of the projects will create Britain’s first offshore hybrid assets (OHAs), which can directly feed energy generated by offshore wind farms into both UK and European grids.

Akshay Kaul, director general for infrastructure at Ofgem, said: “We’ve carefully assessed all the proposed projects and only approved those ones which deliver for consumers in terms of value, viability and energy security.

“As we shift to a clean power system more reliant on intermittent wind and solar energy, these new connections will help harness the vast potential of the North Sea and play a key role in making our energy supply cheaper and less reliant on volatile foreign gas markets and associated price spikes.

“With Britain expected to become a net energy exporter in the 2030s, these connections will equip us with world leading technology to export more of our surplus clean power overseas.

“They will also provide greater access to energy imports, which together with domestic low carbon energy sources such as nuclear and biomass, will provide vital back-up energy sources when renewable generation is more limited here.”