High Voltage Power lines.

It would appear that finally Albert Owen MP has raised the question of submarine cables to be considered an option for Wylfa B and the new offshore windfarms that will form part of the Irish Sea development.  This issue has been raised on Anglesey with both me and Paul Williams since November last year.  I contacted National Grid on that point in November.  Where has Albert Owen MP been over the last few months?  Interestingly he has not picked up on the failure of Grid to consider that the Environmental Information Regulations apply to their projects.

The Electricity Networks Strategy Group (which includes National Grid) published a document in 2009 which shows that they are seeking to upgrade the Pentir 275kw line to a 400kw line apparently without any consultation with the local people that it will affect. (see pages 72-80 of the ENSG report.  For a more detailed discussion of Grid issues in Wales see the blogpost from Syniadau. 
http://syniadau--buildinganindependentwales.blogspot.com/2011/02/linking-north-and-south.html

Syniadau also highlights Welsh residents pay between 4 to 10 % HIGHER electricity costs as Wales is considered a net importer of electricity, despite the opposite being true.  How Labour's Welsh Assembly Government has allowed this to happen at a time of spiralling energy costs is beyond me.  Political pressure to force Grid and the Electricity Companies to accept that Wales is a net exporter of electricity could have meant money in the pockets of pensioners, families and businesses accross Wales. 

I find it surprising that Grid are now positioning themselves on the basis of  cost. bearing in mind the paragraph above.  They are running undersea cable from Scotland to Deeside at a cost of £780 million as the post from Syniadau shows.  It is vitally important that North Wales does not accept a second best option.    Why then are Grid not also considering running cable the 64 or so miles from Anglesey to Deeside.  Surely this would be a cheaper option than running cables down to Pembrokshire.