Sub-sea cable bid for Ofgem funding

OFGEM has been urged to pay for undersea cables to transfer electricity from the proposed Wylfa Power Station to Deeside.

Ofgem is the Westminster Government regulator for gas and electricity markets in the UK.

Last month National Grid manager for the North Wales project Matt Durham said a sub-sea connection between Wylfa Newydd and Deeside was by the far the most popular option expressed by residents, but that a sub-sea cable from Wylfa would present an “unprecedented technical challenge” and cost £1.13 billion compared to £554m for pylons.

Now, Cllr Hywel Roberts, Chair of the Arfon Dwyfor Area Committee of One Voice Wales, representing Town and Community Councils in Wales, has accused National Grid of “taking no notice of the strong public feeling against using overground pylons”.

Cllr Roberts said: “I have learnt that cables in the Porthmadog area are to be placed underground thanks to funding from the Ofgem Visual Impact Provision Project.

“The irony of the situation is that we in this area do not need the new electricity as we have sufficient

other sources. Wylfa is needed for the rest of the UK and it’s only fair that we should not have to suffer

the unsightly pylons. We are looking forward to receiving a positive reply from Ofgem.”

An Ofgem spokesperson said: “National Grid has not yet applied for planning permission for its proposal, and will consult further before making an application. So we encourage local organisations to continue talking to the company about its proposal and the alternatives.

“National Grid’s role in this case is to design a proposal working with planning authorities.” An NG spokeswoman said it was the UK government who decide whether proposals should be given consent.