National Grid Encourages Communities To Take Part In Final Route Wide Consultation

See what the second connection for Wylfa Newydd could look like
Locations for pylons identified
Tunnel chosen to take connection under the Menai Strait
Updates to overhead line route to further reduce effects on communities ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

National Grid has launched its final route wide consultation on proposals for a second connection for Wylfa Newydd. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Open from the 5 October to 16 December, the consultation will give communities on Anglesey and in Gwynedd the opportunity to see in detail what the new connection could look like, talk to the National Grid team and provide their feedback. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gareth Williams, Senior Project Manager, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“People can now see what the second connection could look, including the proposed location of pylons and the tunnel under the Menai Strait. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The tunnel under the Strait will be one of the most significant civil engineering projects in Wales in recent years and will involve some of the best engineers in the world. The tunnel will be around 4km long and mean our overhead equipment is beyond the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and away from the coast. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’ve kept the route for the new overhead line close to the existing line. This means we take a direct route, keep away from larger communities and avoid putting pylons in new areas.” National Grid’s detailed proposals have developed over a number of years and have been informed by several stages of consultation with the public and specialist organisations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mr Williams continued: “Feedback has helped shape our proposals at every stage and understand what local people, community groups and specialist organisations feel is important to them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“People have told us about the importance of the landscape and views, tourism, cultural heritage and the wider environment. In developing our proposals, we’ve tried to keep effects on these as low as we can, while also meeting our duties to the environment and providing a connection that offers value for bill payers.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

National Grid’s consultation will run for 10 weeks, with exhibitions being held across Anglesey and in Gwynedd. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mr Williams continued: “We think our proposals are the best option based on all the information we have but they can still change. We hope as many people as possible will take this opportunity to continue to influence our plans. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is likely to be our last consultation on the whole connection so it’s really important people take part if they want to have their say. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“At our events, people will able to view a 3D computer model and 3D drive-throughs of different roads along the route, which will help them to see what the new connection could look like. There will also be lots of other useful information and the opportunity to talk to the team. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“After this consultation, we’ll look carefully at all the feedback and see if there are ways we can further reduce the effects of our work. We’ll then prepare our planning applications, which we expect to submit in 2017. This will be a significant milestone for our project and its progress towards unlocking the low carbon energy generation Wylfa Newydd would deliver.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​