[Havoc]

Why not pump the energy into the EU grid at bottom and pull it out in the north?

[samwillis]

I assume control, with the investment coming from the UK they want to have control of it. If it has to go via the EU they would loose that control and could potentially lose access.

[fulafel]

If you sell in place a and buy back in place b, you might sometimes get less of it back for the same money.

[Havoc]

Aka wheeling charges. Yes, though likely significantly less than the cost of building a cable around the EU

[BurningFrog]

I don't think there is such a grid with this spare capacity.