IN Brief:
- Ofgem has approved modified Access Rules and Charging Methodology for the Viking Link interconnector.
- The changes follow a March 2026 submission by National Grid Viking Link Ltd.
- The rules set the terms and conditions for access to, and use of, the interconnector.
Ofgem has approved modified Access Rules and Charging Methodology for the Viking Link electricity interconnector, following a submission by National Grid Viking Link Ltd in March 2026.
The decision was made under Standard Licence Conditions 11A and 10 of Viking Link’s Electricity Interconnector Licence. The Access Rules and Charging Methodology set the terms and conditions for access to, and use of, the interconnector.
Ofgem approved the changes on the basis that the proposed modifications better achieve the relevant objectives required under the licence. The formal directions approving the modified Access Rules are included in the decision documents.
Viking Link connects the GB electricity system with Denmark and forms part of the UK’s wider interconnector portfolio. Interconnectors allow electricity to move between markets, support security of supply, and provide access to different generation profiles across neighbouring systems.
The rules governing access are central to how a physical interconnector operates commercially. Capacity allocation, nomination, curtailment, charging, firmness, and operational procedures all influence how market participants use the asset and how the interconnector interacts with system conditions on both sides of the link.
Cross-border electricity trading is becoming more prominent as renewable penetration increases. Wind conditions, solar generation, hydro availability, demand peaks, outages, and reserve requirements vary between countries, and interconnectors allow some of that variation to be balanced across larger geographic areas.
Operational complexity is also increasing. Higher levels of variable renewable generation can create sharper price spreads, more dynamic flows, and more frequent congestion at network boundaries. Access frameworks must therefore remain aligned with licence obligations, market integrity, and the physical conditions under which interconnectors operate.
The Viking Link decision sits within a wider regulatory programme in which network rules are being adjusted to handle electrification and decarbonisation. Distribution reinforcement funding has also been updated through changes to RIIO-ED2 load allowances, reflecting the growing need to match regulatory mechanisms with changing network demand.
Interconnectors also depend on domestic grid capacity. A cross-border link may provide import and export capability, but its system value depends on whether internal transmission networks can carry power to and from the landing point under different operating conditions. Internal constraints can limit commercial flows or require additional balancing action.
For Britain, interconnection has become part of the clean power architecture alongside domestic generation, storage, demand flexibility, and reinforcement. Links to neighbouring markets can support adequacy during tight periods, absorb excess renewable output during high-generation periods, and improve market efficiency where capacity is available.
Access Rules and Charging Methodologies are therefore more than administrative documents. They define how a high-value asset is made available to market participants, how users are charged, how access rights are managed, and how licence obligations are applied in operation.
Keeping those documents current is part of maintaining a functioning cross-border power system. As UK and European markets adapt to changing demand, higher renewable output, and evolving balancing arrangements, interconnector rules need to reflect how the system is used in practice. Ofgem’s approval does not alter Viking Link’s physical capacity, but it updates the framework through which that capacity is accessed and charged.
