Undersea electricity cable envisioned

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ABERDEEN, Scotland, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Scottish authorities say they are examining the feasibility of stringing an undersea electrical power cable linking Scotland and Norway.

The plan will be examined as part of a study into a proposed new North Sea power line between European electrical networks, the BBC reported Tuesday.

Scottish and Southern Energy has signed a partnership agreement with three Norwegian utilities to examine the feasibility of running the underwater power line between the United Kingdom and Norway.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said the technical desirability of the shortest possible route could mean a landing site in northeastern Scotland.

"Scotland is ideally placed to become the green powerhouse of Europe," Salmond said. "We must achieve a connection across to Scandinavia and mainland Europe."

"So I am delighted to announce the signing of an agreement to work towards the building of an electricity interconnector carrying power to and from Scandinavia, with northeast Scotland being well-placed to be the obvious choice," he said.

Salmond made the announcement at an offshore wind conference in Aberdeen.

"Scotland and Norway have rich and diverse natural resources from which to produce large amounts of electricity," Scottish and Southern Energy Chief Executive Officer Ian Marchant said, "and an interconnector could allow the potential of those complementary resources to be fulfilled by meeting the needs of customers across northwest Europe."