Let your local Senedd Members know you don’t want a new line of pylons cutting through the splendour of the Eryri National Park and the Cambrian Mountains!
Wales’ National Parks are under threat. The National Energy System Operator, NESO, which runs the National Grid, is planning to create a new high tension line all the way between Bangor and Swansea.
Will your support our campaign, by contacting your Senedd Member to ask them to support this campaign? They can do this by signing this Statement of Opinion in the Senedd.
What are NESO’s plans
Outlined in the document Beyond 2030, these plans are a blueprint for a huge upgrade to the National Grid, to make it capable to dealing with the huge increase in renewable energy generation that will be necessary to meet our Net Zero Commitments.
What are the Holford Rules?
First adopted back in 1959, these give guidelines on overheard line routing. Rule number one reads:
“Avoid altogether, if possible, the major areas of highest amenity value, by so planning the general route of the first line in the first place, even if the total mileage is somewhat increased in consequence.”
The next paragraph makes clear that the areas of highest amenity value include National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Is this practical?
Yes. The Beyond 2030 document already includes numerous sections of high tension line under the sea. This demonstrates that offshore electricity links are both practical and affordable and that they often provide what is overall the best practical option. Indeed, there may be considerable advantages to doing this. Such an off-shore link could become extremely useful in connecting off-shore windfarms to the grid. This would avoid the need for each windfarm to have its own separate cable to shore.
Are you climate change deniers?
No, we are fully behind the changes needed to tackle the climate crisis. And we’ve have made clear in this e-action that we support the need to upgrade the grid to as to meet the needs of the increase in renewable energy generation that will be necessary to meet out Net Zero obligations. The question is not whether this is done, but how.
Isn’t it important to protect the seas as well as the land?
Yes it is. Of course, there are obvious advantages to routing this grid connection under the sea, where the general public will not see it. That’s why what we’re calling for is for NESO make clear that the preferred option is offshore the link around west Wales, subject to satisfactory environmental assessment of the impacts on marine life. Cardigan Bay and other areas of the Irish Sea are rightly protected and there are probably more and less damaging routes for an undersea grid connection between Bangor and Swansea. We want to see a thorough environmental assessment to identify the best option, so that can be weighed against what we know would be the extremely harmful options of routing it through the Eryri National Park.
Would and undersea link be vulnerable to interference by hostile foreign power?
This is of course a concern. However, NESO’s plans already include numerous undersea links, from off-shore wind turbines to the shore and also linking Scotland with Wales, Scotland with England and England with England. If we are capable of defending these, then we are capable of defending a link between Bangor and Swansea.
Why are National Parks and National Landscapes important?
National Parks and National Landscapes (previously known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) are some of the most awe inspiring wild spaces Wales has to offer. It’s easy to see why these places have such a lasting impact on visitors and those who call them home. National Parks allow ordinary people to have access to the open countryside whilst preserving and enhancing natural beauty. They were founded on the understanding that connection with nature is essential to the health of people, society and the planet.
Allowing vast tracts of pristine landscape, much of it mountainous, to be marred by new lines of pylons, would clearly endanger their special character. We believe that building these new high tension lines through our National Park should be the last option, not the first.
After I take part in the e-action, I see a message asking me to make a financial contribution. Do I need to do this?
No, it’s entirely free to take part and anyone in Wales can do so. We have created a free account with New Mode, who run the e-action website. As a result, the request for financial support is mandatory. But if you can afford to, we would encourage you to make a contribution, as New Mode will use some of the money collected to promote the campaign to others.
What else can I do to help?
The most useful thing you can do to help support this campaign, other than emailing your MSs, is to spread the word to your friends. After you have completed the e-action, you will see a “share instead” button. Please click this to share the campaign on any social media accounts that you use. And of course, we would encourage you to tell your friends about this and encourage them to take part.
I don’t live in Wales. Can I take part?
We are organising this campaign to try to get as many members of the Senedd as possible to sign the Statement of Opinion on the proposed pylons through the National Parks. So anyone with an address is Wales can part part. If you don’t live in Wales, you do not have anyone representing you in the Senedd, so you can’t take part. Later on, depending on how this campaign goes, we may organise a similar campaign at Westminster, and everyone in the UK will be able to take part in that.
If you live in Wales, please will you take part in this campaign?
The Snowdonia Society, established in 1967, is a member-based registered charity working to protect and enhance the beauty and special qualities of Eryri and to promote their enjoyment in the interests of all who live in, work in or visit the area both now and in the future.
JOIN as a member to support our work.
The Snowdonia Society
Caban, Brynrefail, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 3NR
info@snowdonia-society.org.uk
