A major milestone in Europe’s energy infrastructure – the Greenlink Interconnector – officially initiated full operation on 30 January 2025. This strategic project, linking the energy networks of Ireland and the UK, represents a major step towards a more secure, sustainable, and interconnected energy future for Europe.
Greenlink is now the third interconnector between Ireland and the UK, alongside the existing EWIC and MOYLE. Its launch strengthens energy security, promotes the integration of renewables, and contributes to the region’s stable electricity supply.
Unicorn is proud to be a strategic EirGrid partner. Unicorn provided extensive support for the Greenlink Interconnector launch, and thanks to the great work of the SLS team (Second Line Support), everything went smoothly.
Path to Launch
EirGrid (the Irish TSO) requested to add a new interconnect to the current ICMP (Interconnector Management Platform) system in 2023.
Exactly one year ago, Unicorn supported the soft-golive, enabling the first test run and verifying the functionality of key systems. In August 2024, Unicorn successfully completed Greenlink’s commercial launch on the interconnector management platform Damas MMS:E, marking a major step towards its full integration into the energy market.
First participation in the IDA auction
On January 29, Greenlink entered the electricity market for the first time by participating in the IDA (Intraday Auction) for “Business Day” 30/01/2025. This moment confirmed that the interconnector was fully operational and ready to contribute to the stability and efficiency of the European power grid.
Launching Greenlink is both a technological success and an important contribution to sustainable energy. This interconnection between Ireland and the UK will strengthen the electricity supply’s security and promote RES integration.
This success wouldn’t have been possible without the collaboration of the many partners and experts involved in the development, testing, and implementation of the project. Thank you to everyone who contributed!
Greenlink is now officially “live” – and we look forward to its positive impact on the energy market.
For more information, visit EiGrid.
