National Grid launches fresh round of consultation for Lincolnshire projects along with announcing two new projects
A fresh round of consultation is being launched today on more electricity projects which will be constructed in Lincolnshire.
National Grid is looking to transport electricity produced by off-shore wind farms in Scotland to a converter station near King’s Lynn via 100km of underground cables which will run through South Holland and Boston.
The firm is launching the second stage of consultation for the Eastern Green Link (EGL) 3 and 4 projects - which will make landfall in Anderby Creek - today (Tuesday) but it has also announced two new projects.
Eastern Green Link 5 will see Scottish wind farm energy making landfall at Anderby Creek to be transported into a new converter in East Lindsey at a location to be decided as the plans are at an early stage.
National Grid is also be launching a new website to announce plans to transport power from its proposed substation at Weston Marsh to power 6 million homes in East Leicestershire. People will not be able to have a say on this project until later in the summer.
These new projects come on top of the Great Grid Upgrade, which will see 420 pylons constructed along an 87-mile stretch between Grimsby and Walpole, along with the Meridian Solar Farm that could run along a swathe of land in Crowland, Shepeau Stow and Sutton St Edmund.
Sean Stokoe, Head of Offshore Consents for National Grid, said: “Eastern Green Links 3, 4 and the newly proposed EGL5 are critical to building the electricity infrastructure the UK needs for a secure, independent and more affordable energy future.
“As electricity demand is set to double, these projects will help us make the most of Britain’s offshore wind, reducing our reliance on expensive imported fossil fuels.
“We’re keen to hear from local communities so we can shape our plans together.”
National Grid announced plans for the Eastern Green Links 3 and 4 projects last year.
Power generated by the wind farms near Peterhead and Fife will be transported via HVDC cables to Anderby Creek and then onto King’s Lynn. The team have stated that this is the best way to reduce power loss via the transportation.
Since the launch last year, the plans have undergone some changes. The landfall location has been confirmed as Anderby Creek with Theddlethorpe being removed.
National Grid will no longer be pursuing plans for a converter station and direct switching station in Bilsby, along with removing a proposed cable route between Huttoft to Bilsby.
The National Gird has also confirmed that the Eastern Green Link 3 cables will be routed outside of the Holderness Offshore Marine Conservation Zone, with a minimal crossing by EGL4 cables.
There do not appear to be any changes to the routing of cables through the South Holland area.
Eastern Green Link 5 is new project, being developed by National Grid and SSEN Transmission, to run 555km between Scotland and Anderby Creek with a further 9km underground to a new converter station in East Lindsey.
The public consultation on these projects runs from today (May 13) to June 23. It will include a series of online consutlation events along with some in-person sessions.
Webinars:
• EGL 3 and EGL 4’s offshore proposals and EGL 5’s offshore proposals, Friday, May 23, 12-1pm
• EGL 3 and EGL 4 Anderby Creek landfall to Candlesby and EGL 5’s onshore proposals, Thursday, June 5, 7-8pm
• EGL 3 and EGL 4 Candlesby to Frith Bank, Tuesday, June 10, 7-8pm
• Webinar 4: Frith Bank to South Holland Drain, Friday, May 30, 12-1pm
• Webinar 5: South Holland Drain to Walpole area. Thursday, June 12, 12-1pm
Joint in-person public information events for EGL 3 and EGL 4, and EGL 5:
• Huttoft, Huttoft Village Hall, Thursday, May 22, 2-7pm
• Alford, Alford Corn Exchange, Saturday, May 31, 2-7pm
In-person public information events for only EGL 3 and EGL 4:
• Burgh le Marsh, Burgh le Marsh Village Hall, Wednesday, May 21, 2-7pm
• Eastville, Eastville, Midville and New Leake Village Hall, Saturday, May 24, 2-7pm
• Walpole, Walpole Community Centre, Thursday,May 29, 2-7pm
• Kirton Holme, Poachers Country Hotel, Kirton Holme, Tuesday, June 3, 2-7pm
• Holbeach, The Holbeach Hub, Wednesday, June 4, 2-7pm
• Tydd St Giles, Tydd St Giles Community Centre, Thursday, June 5, 2-7pm
