” I strongly encourage those with an interest to engage with National Grid as it further develops its proposals”

22/03/12 Charles Hendry MP addressed Dr Liam Fox MP & Tessa Munt MP regarding electricity transmission. Full transcript here. Charles Hendry MP has suggested that any stakeholders with an interest “…to engage with National Grid…[over]…its proposals.” It would appear from that the next opportunity to do this is Wednesday 28th March, 19:00-21:00 at The Exchange, Express Park, Bristol Road, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4RR.

“National Grid ruling gives hope for hiding ‘monster’ pylons in Somerset” 30/01/12 Click here for story.

Wraxall & Failand Parish Council have published a response to the Department of Energy and Climate Change consultation on the Hinkley C Connection project. The report outlines the council’s arguments that the costs for undergrounding could be lower than presently stated in National Grid’s Strategic Optioneering Report, (2011). The report is available on our Resources page here.

February update from one of our members here…

Anti-pylon campaigners have welcomed an independent study into the costs of running power cables underground.

National Grid wants to build overhead pylons from Avonmouth in Bristol to Hinkley Point in west Somerset.

In the study, the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) said underground cables will cost less than National Grid estimates.

But the power firm has said it will still cost £850m more than installing cables overhead along the whole route.

Full story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-16829946

Campaigners are celebrating after plans for a 50-mile line of electricity pylons near the Lincolnshire coastline were scrapped.

The National Grid said it no longer expected overhead cabling between Grimsby and Boston. Full story from the BBC here

The Meath-Tyrone Report (Eire’s Cabinet report into the costs to underground) have concluded that the cost to underground has substantially dropped due to advances in new technology. See the full report here.

Campaign to have National Grid’s proposed 400kV Hinkley to Avonmouth connection laid UNDERGROUND or SUBSEA.

All of the concerned action groups from along the entire proposed route, from Bridgwater to Bristol, have joined together in order to form a unified group – the Somerset Alliance against Pylons (SAAP).