Can Britain’s neighbours help it keep the lights on?

On January 8, as Britain faced cold weather and coal-fired power plants were permanently shut down, the National Grid’s Energy System Operator imported electricity from Denmark via the Viking Link cable, paying over double the typical rate. This incident underscores Britain’s increasing reliance on international electricity trade as it advances towards a decarbonized power system by 2030, despite challenges from rising protectionism and Brexit-related barriers. With plans to enhance wind and solar capacities and expand interconnections, Britain aims to become a net exporter of electricity within five years.