Environment Alliance Launches A Campaign For A Smart Grid - Not Thousands More Pylons

25 March 2009

CPRE in alliance with three other leading countryside campaign groups launch a campaign today (Wednesday) for major investment in smart electricity networks to avoid intrusive new infrastructure. The campaign aims to influence the Government's promised vision for a 'smart grid' and a new national planning policy on the future of the nation's electricity transmission network.

There are already 22,000 high voltage pylons carrying 4,375 miles of overhead transmission lines in England and Wales. The alliance is deeply concerned that plans outlined in a major recent Government-backed report indicate that there could be many more pylons. These would aim to serve a new generation of power stations, and extend across some of our most valued countryside.

This is the immediate reaction of Bill Bryson, CPRE's President:

'This year we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A great birthday present would be to begin to remove the high voltage pylons that are within them or can be seen from them. Instead, National Grid are planning to put up yet more overhead lines in these areas. This is crazy – more pylons do not equal progress.'

Research indicates:

· at least twelve new lines of overhead pylons, altogether stretching over at least 170 miles of countryside, are being considered across England and Wales, and three existing lines could see larger pylons;

· new lines could march across the Snowdonia National Park and four designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in Anglesey, Kent, Lincolnshire and Somerset; and

· Green Belt land – the countryside closest to our major towns and cities – could be affected by new or larger lines of pylons in Derbyshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, London, Somerset and South Yorkshire.

The alliance members believe that as well as making much better use of the electricity we generate, a new smart grid for England and Wales, to parallel President Obama's plans in the USA, should have much less impact on our valued countryside.

The alliance's manifesto A Countryside Friendly Smart Grid is calling for:

· any new high voltage transmission lines to avoid AONBs, National Parks, World Heritage Sites and Green Belt land;

· the use of innovative new pylon designs, up to 33% shorter than for a typical high voltage pylon in the UK, in locations where high voltage transmission lines already affect our most important countryside or where new lines are unavoidable;

· measures to reduce demand on the main electricity transmission grid, such as 'smart meters', encouragement for community and small-scale local energy generation, and further research on methods of storage of electricity; and

· new offshore wind farms to be connected to the National Grid using underground cables to existing substations. The impact of substations on the countryside, including associated clutter and light pollution, should also be reduced as they are renewed or redeveloped.

Paul Miner, CPRE's Senior Planning Campaigner, said:

'We support the idea of a truly 'smart grid' – meaning both energy efficient and countryside friendly. We urge National Grid to drop proposals for new overhead lines in our most valued areas of countryside. We also want to see Government and industry doing more to reduce the impact of existing high voltage lines and other transmission infrastructure on the landscape.'

Ruth Chambers, Acting Chief Executive of CNP, said:

'The potential impacts of new transmission infrastructure must be taken into account when investment and planning decisions are made on new generating capacity. Otherwise, we risk generating power in places which leave little choice but to build in our protected landscapes. The feasibility of alternatives to new overhead lines must also be fully considered by decision makers.'

Peter Ogden, Director of CPRW, said:

'Nothing scars our landscapes more than huge electricity transmission lines marching across them. Developing the smart grid approach offers the long overdue opportunity to link modern methods of energy creation and transmission, with avoiding damage to distinctive upland panoramas and open spaces. We therefore urge Government and the National Grid to think responsibly and not to once more burden our cherished landscapes with large pylons.'

Mike Taylor, Chief Executive of NAAONB, said:

'We recognise that the need to generate more electricity from renewable energy will require a major re-think of the National Grid. There is real danger however that the impact of the means of delivery to where the energy is needed will be overlooked. This poses a real threat to some of our most important countryside.'

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