October 31, 2011
England

Pylon fight on

Diss Express, www.dissexpress.co.uk 30 October 2011

A National Grid scheme that could see giant electricity pylons constructed along the Waveney Valley has prompted a warning from more than 150 local residents – “you will face a fight.”

Concerns were raised at a public meeting in Wortwell Community Centre last Friday, with residents joined by eight officials from the electricity company, South Norfolk Councillor Martin Wilby and South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, alongside council representatives from both sides of the Norfolk/Suffolk border.

Officials from National Grid said indicative plans have been drawn up for a new electricity substation at Lowestoft, connecting up what will be the second largest offshore wind farm in the world; a renewable scheme by East Anglia Offshore Wind which is said would power up to five million homes.

Although the company stressed no decisions had yet been made, they said one viable option would be to connect the Waveney Valley to the main grid through underground or overhead cables.

A spokesman for National grid, said: “Lowestoft is a viable solution but not the only solution National Grid is thinking about. Because the process is so complicated it will take a while until any proposals are on the table.”

The company is now making a detailed investigation into how the power can be brought ashore from the North Sea turbines, which are set to provide six times the electricity of Sizewell B, and the comparative costs of different cabling.

South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, said he was “perplexed” and “horrified” that pylons could be considered at a time when the Waveney Valley was being promoted as a beauty spot and tourist destination.

South Norfolk Councillor Martin Wilby, who echoed the words of residents and asked for the National Grid to return with progress updates, said: “I think the National Grid is now in little doubt over the strength of feeling in this community.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/10/31/pylon-fight-on/