Great Western Coffee Shop

Don't talk to me about pylons. I've just had a letter from National Grid something along the lines of "We're toying with the idea of building a 45m high 400kV major pylon line around 100m in front of your house. How do you feel about it?"  >:(

Voltage threat of overhead cables

More than 25 towns and villages in North Somerset face the threat of 400,000-volt overhead power cables being installed above them.

National Grid says the line, which would be about 37 miles long and cost around ^2 million per mile, is needed to bring electricity from the proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point to an electricity substation at Avonmouth.

Studies have identified two potential 'route corridors' through North Somerset the overhead cable could follow.

But parish councillors in Wraxall believe the company should consider laying cables on the sea bed of the Bristol Channel between Hinkley and Avonmouth rather than blight the countryside with 150-foot pylons.

Wraxall and Failand Parish Council chairman Chris Ambrose said: "I feel strongly that if we can lay these cables under the sea then we should do so. I don't see why on an engineering basis they can't do it - electricity to the Scilly Isles is supplied by cables along the seabed and communication links are laid all the way to the east coast of America under the sea."

More than 90 per cent of National Grid's 4,500 miles of transmission lines is by overhead cables. It says installing cables underground on land costs between 12-17 times more than overhead lines. Its website adds there are other technical problems which make underground cables undesirable, such as heat dispersal and prolonged outages when problems occur.

A spokesperson said: "We won't look into undergrounding until consultation is complete and we have identified a preferred route corridor and are looking at a specific route."

The exact route has not been finalised but any of the following communities could be affected: Yatton, Nailsea, Congresbury, Hewish, Clevedon, Congresbury, Churchill, Wrington, Kingston Seymour, Brockley, Kenn, Tickenham, Clapton-in-Gordano, Backwell, Wraxall and Failand, Portishead, North Weston, Portbury, Easton-in-Gordano and Flax Bourton. The first of four public consultation events takes place today at Trinity Primary School in Portishead.

National Grid major projects manager David Mercer said: "The proposed new power station at Hinkley Point C would be one of the largest connected to the National Grid network, and, as a result, we will need to reinforce and upgrade the network in the region to accommodate the extra power and ensure system security. We recognise that this is a significant development and we are committed to consulting the public to gather their views. These events will give local residents the opportunity to see our proposals and discuss their queries and concerns with us and express their opinions."

Fourteen events are being held between now and December. For more information visit www.nationalgrid.com/hinkleyconnection .

I wish national Grid would do some "digging", instead of pylons.  >:(

More than 90 per cent of National Grid's 4,500 miles of transmission lines is by overhead cables. It says installing cables underground on land costs between 12-17 times more than overhead lines. Its website adds there are other technical problems which make underground cables undesirable, such as heat dispersal and prolonged outages when problems occur.

I wish national Grid would do some "digging", instead of pylons.  >:(

Pylon line plan to 'get go-ahead'

The go-ahead for a power line from Beauly to Denny is expected to be given by the Scottish government in the next few weeks, BBC Scotland understands. But as more than 18,000 objections have been lodged it is thought likely conditions will be attached.

The upgraded power line, which would need 600 pylons, up 200ft in height, would connect renewable power projects in the Highlands to the national grid. Environmentalists and green energy advocates are divided on the issue.

The new ^400m transmission line would run from Beauly near Inverness to Denny near Falkirk. It would carry 400,000 volts (400kV), replacing the existing 132kV line, which runs along a similar route. Supporters, including Labour and the Green party, say the scheme should be approved to help meet renewable energy commitments. But concerns have been raised over the impact to landscape of the massive pylons and a lack of detail over alternative options.

The controversial plan has been the subject of a public inquiry. The Scottish government has had that inquiry's report since February.

Labour's leader at Holyrood, Iain Gray MSP, said: "We want to see this upgrade go ahead as quickly as possible and it is disappointing that the SNP have taken far too long to make their mind up. Scotland needs a government that will take much bolder action in order to boost our renewable energy sector and tackle climate change emissions."

The Green party's Patrick Harvie told BBC Scotland's Politics Show: "It has taken a very long time to get this decision out, we still haven't heard it and I think that's regrettable. We need to be pressing on and getting the work done." He said ministers could go to the forthcoming climate conference in Copenhagen and boast that the scheme was under way.

But Dennis Canavan, former MSP and current president of Ramblers Association Scotland, told the programme: "If it does get the go-ahead then it will be an unacceptable act of vandalism. In Scotland we're very blessed, we've got some of the most scenic countryside in the world. It's a national asset, it's something that we should be looking after not just for ourselves but for future generations."

Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, said: "There will be many people across our local communities who are extremely concerned about the news that the Scottish Government is going to push ahead with this project. There is no doubt about the need for an upgrade to our electricity grid but I have never been convinced that other alternatives, especially upgrading the east coast route or building undersea cables, were properly examined."

A Scottish government spokesman said: "Ministers will make a decision on the Beauly-Denny power line before the end of this year taking into account all relevant factors."

National Grid announces more meeting dates over controversial proposals

National Grid has announced three more public meetings following a number of requests from residents concerned about proposals to install 400,000 volt power cables in North Somerset.

The company says the line, which would be about 37 miles long and cost around ^2 million per mile, is needed to bring electricity from the proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point to an electricity substation at Avonmouth.

It organised 14 public consultation meetings at various locations but scores of residents living in Nailsea were angry that they had to travel to Backwell to find out more about the proposals.

In response residents, who set up a Save Our Valley campaign, organised a special public meeting for people to have their say.

Since then National Grid has agreed to hold three extra meetings, one of those being in Nailsea.

This takes place in the sports hall at Scotch Horn Leisure Centre, Brockway, on Thursday, November 26. The other two are schedule for Wednesday, November 18, at Portbury Village Hall, 1 High Street, Portbury and at Trinity Community Hall, Trinity Primary School, Marjoram Way, Portishead, on Thursday, November 19. All take place from 2-4pm and 6-8pm.

National Grid's project manager Peter Bryant said: "We have added these extra dates following requests from local residents who wanted more of an opportunity to discuss the proposals. We are very keen for people to come along to these exhibitions and tell us what they think of our plans. After carrying out extensive studies we have identified two potential route corridors, which are stretches of land in which the overhead line could be sites. We have no preference as to which corridor is chosen so the views of local people will help us make the decision."

I wonder how many protest groups would be set up if planning permission was now being sought to build a "monstrosity"like this 

On modern day stuff ... were there may objections to this? :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Falkirk_wheel.jpg

A North Somerset MP has compared the consultation over the proposed new pylon route from Hinkley Point to being asked how one wants to executed.
Dr Liam Fox told Parliament: "We have been offered the choice between two different land corridors with overhead cables.
"It is not much of a consultation - the choice between being hanged and being beheaded," the Woodspring MP added.
National Grid wants to run 400,000 volt power lines to Avonmouth.
The company's formal consultation period, which included public meetings and exhibitions in villages along both of the two proposed route, ended at midnight on Friday.
Dr Fox, who was grilling energy minister David Kidney about the plan, was supported in his concerns by three other Somerset MPs.
Wells MP David Heathcoat-Amory, Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose and Bridgwater's Ian Liddell-Grainger also pressed the minister over the plans.
Mr Kidney conceded the consultation, which included the Christmas period and time affected by bad weather, could be seen as "inadequate".
But he added: "My understanding, however, is that there must be a second-stage consultation, which will run from February 2010 to March 2011, for which National Grid will be seeking views on its preferred route corridor.
"National Grid is therefore at the very beginning of the process for the proposal."
Campaigners want the power company to consider an underground route for the power lines.
The firm wants to have the 37-mile route in operation by 2016.

National Grid urged to reconsider pylons consultation

National Grid has been urged to rethink its consultation on plans to build pylons from Avonmouth in Bristol to Hinkley Point in west Somerset.
The advice has come from the Infrastructure Planning Commission, the body that will ultimately decide if the 151ft (46m) pylons can be erected.
It advised National Grid to explain why running the cables underground or in the Bristol Channel is not be possible.
The energy company has said a full proposal will not be ready until 2011.

Further consultation on National Grid pylon plans

National Grid has announced a series of events to further explain its plans to build pylons from Avonmouth in Bristol to Hinkley Point in west Somerset.
The move comes after the energy company was urged to rethink its public consultation by the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC).
The first phase of consultation prompted 2,000 feedback forms, 1,100 e-mails and letters and 100 phone calls.
National Grid said it would announce the new events shortly.
The IPC, the body that will ultimately decide if the 151ft (46m) pylons can be erected, had advised National Grid to explain why running the cables underground or in the Bristol Channel would not be possible.
David Mercer, the energy company's major project manager, said: "In response to these concerns, we have decided to provide both written information and further opportunities for local people to meet the project team, and would welcome further public comments."

Dismantling of old pylons in Gloucestershire continues

The second phase of a ^1.6m plan to dismantle 140 disused electricity pylons in the Cotswolds is under way.
The pylons were linked to the former Berkeley power station and have been superseded by more modern versions.
In this phase, 53 of the metal towers and their overhead lines are being brought down along 15km (9 miles) of farmland from Cam to Chavenage Green.
The first phase of Southern Electric's project to remove the redundant lines started last autumn.
The third and final stage of the project, from Tetbury to Minety in Wiltshire, will take place later this year.

Nailsea campaigners celebrate news that power lines won't go up near homes

Campaigners fighting plans to erect a 400,000 volt overhead power line near their homes in Nailsea are celebrating ^ after energy chiefs agreed to site it further away from their properties.

People living along the western fringes of the town have been campaigning for the last three years for the route of a new power line, proposed by National Grid to be changed.

Residents said the towering pylons ^ which would have been just metres from their homes - would cause a blight on their properties, pose possible health problems and destroy the nearby countryside.

National Grid, which published its draft plan for the route this week, say the new 37-mile line between Avonmouth and Bridgwater, is needed to bring electricity onto its transmission network.

Now after mounting pressure from residents the energy giant has agreed to move the new line further away from homes across Nailsea Moor towards Tickenham.

It has also agreed to dismantle both existing 132,000 volt lines which currently cross people^s gardens in Causeway View and Rhyne View.

One of the lines will be placed underground - meaning the blight of pylons adjacent to properties will be a thing of the past.

The line will then go towards Yatton and follow the existing line towards Churchill and Sandford, where a new sub-station will be built.

Nailsea Against Pylons Action Group spokeswoman, Fiona Erleigh, said it was good news for people living in the town, but the group would continue to press for the entire line to be undergrounded.

Mrs Erleigh said: ^We are pleasantly surprised by the announcement. It is good news for the people of Nailsea who have pylons in their gardens or directly next to their homes. I am also pleased for Nailsea residents that National Grid has listened to their concerns and moved the proposed power line further away from homes. However we will still be pressing for the entire route of this new power line to be undergrounded.^

The existing power line which crosses Tickenham Ridge will be taken down with the new line being routed to avoid the historic Priors Wood at Portbury.

The line will then come over the hill and follow the M5 before crossing over and following the A369.

The Portbury Wharf nature reserve will not be affected and the line has been kept away from homes.

The line from Portbury Dock to Avonmouth will follow the western edge of the village and the taller pylons along the river will be replaced with smaller ones.

The existing overhead line above Avonmouth Church of England Primary School will also be removed.

An eight kilometre stretch of the line through the Mendip Hills Area of Natural Outstanding Beauty (AONB) will also be undergrounded following pressure from residents, councillors and local MPs.

The five mile stretch to go underground will run under the Somerset Levels from near Biddisham north to the old Strawberry Line Bridge near Sandford.

As part of the scheme, the existing 132,000 line will be taken down, ridding the beauty spot of unsightly pylons.

Plans for the new power line were first introduced in 2009, with Weston MP John Penrose and North Somerset MP Liam Fox taking residents^ concerns to parliament.

Several hundred people also organised a march through Somerset^s villages to protest against the plans.

Mr Penrose said: ^This is great news for everyone who lives in and visits the Mendip Hill Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. If these whopping great pylons had gone ahead we'd have damaged some of our finest countryside. I^m absolutely delighted a combination of local pressure and good sense have won through.^

As part of the moves to underground some areas of the route, the number of pylons being used along the route of the overhead line will reduce from 240 to 145.

National Grid Senior Project Manager, Peter Bryant, said: ^We^ve been very keen to listen to the views of local people, for example on the importance of the Mendip Hills where we now plan to use underground cables. We understand people have concerns about overhead lines, but where they are used, we will work hard to reduce any visual effects by routeing the line carefully and using appropriate pylon designs, which could include the new T-Pylon.^

Further information on the draft route can be found at www.hinkleyconnection.co.uk.

Residents can also visit National Grid^s community information hubs in Congresbury, Nailsea and Avonmouth during November and December to find out more about the project.

Following consultation on the draft route, National Grid will consult on more detailed proposals before making a formal application for consent to construct the connection.

The Government will make a decision based on a recommendation made by the Planning Inspectorate.