National Grid Announces Connection between Richborough and Canterbury

OREANDA-NEWS. Impact of new overhead line can be managed with a carefully designed and routed pylon scheme, including removal of UK Power Networks' existing line.

Draft route further away from people's homes in Hersden, Upstreet, Sarre and Gore Street than existing line.

More work needed to select pylon type and the public encouraged to share their views and attend information sessions in June.

National Grid has today (20 May) announced the proposed draft route for a new electricity connection between Richborough and Canterbury.

Known as the Richborough Connection, the plans involve building a new overhead line and taking down an existing line of lower voltage UK Power Networks pylons in the same area. It will join the Nemo Link®* (an electricity link between Belgium and the UK) to the existing electricity network.

National Grid carefully considered whether there were any particularly sensitive locations where it was appropriate to use much more expensive underground cables, the cost of which would be fed back to everyone's energy bills.

However it's been concluded that a carefully designed and routed overhead line using natural screening such as existing landscape features, would achieve the best balance.

Project Manager Steve Self said: “Reducing the impact of this new connection is really important to us. Our studies show that we can best balance the effect on the local landscape and the cost on people's energy bills with a sensitively designed and carefully routed overhead line.

“The proposed draft route is further away from homes in Hersden, Upstreet, Sarre and Gore Street than the existing overhead line which would be taken down.”

A decision has still to be made on what kind of pylon to use with both the traditional lattice and new T-pylon being considered.

Mr Self added: “I'm encouraging people to come along to our information events in June to find out more and share their views.

“New connections like this are vital to keeping the lights on in the future, but we're committed to working with local people - matching the right design to the right landscape can make a real difference.”

People can share their views and find out more about the plans at a series of information events which will be held as follows: