Eastern Green Link 2 Opens Second Round of Community Funding

## Eastern Green Link 2 Expands Community Investment with Second Funding Round The Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) project has opened the second round of its dedicated community fund, according to Offshore Energy, reinforcing the project's broader social value commitments alongside its infrastructure ambitions. EGL2 is one of the most significant offshore electricity transmission projects currently under development in the United Kingdom. The high-voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable will connect renewable energy generated in Scotland to consumers in England, spanning approximately 525 kilometres and carrying up to 2 gigawatts of clean electricity — enough to power around two million homes. The community fund forms part of the project's wider stakeholder engagement strategy, designed to ensure that host communities along the cable's onshore and offshore corridor share in the economic and social benefits of the infrastructure investment. The opening of a second funding round signals that the initial tranche of grants has been allocated and that the project team is progressing on schedule. Projects of this scale — jointly developed by National Grid and SP Energy Networks — represent a critical component of the UK's strategy to decarbonise its electricity grid and integrate growing volumes of offshore wind capacity from Scottish waters into the national transmission network. Community benefit funds have become an increasingly standard feature of major offshore energy infrastructure projects, reflecting both regulatory expectations and growing public scrutiny of large-scale developments. For EGL2, the fund provides a tangible mechanism for local organisations, community groups, and initiatives to access financial support tied directly to the project's presence in their area. Details on eligibility criteria, funding amounts, and application deadlines for the second round are expected to be available through the project's official community engagement channels. The EGL2 project, once operational, will play a pivotal role in balancing electricity supply and demand across Great Britain, particularly as offshore wind capacity in the North Sea continues to expand rapidly in the coming decade. *Source: Offshore Energy*