National Grid is inviting comments on proposals for a new power line which will help the UK meet its net zero targets.
Communities in the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire have been invited to take part in the eight-week public consultation, which starts on 1 June and runs until 27 July, for the North Humber to High Marnham high voltage line.
National Grid is making changes to the network of overhead lines, pylons, cables and other infrastructure that transports electricity around the country, to improve access to the clean electricity from offshore wind and other renewable sources.
The existing power lines between the North and the Midlands do not have sufficient capacity to accommodate the increased power flows from these new sources of renewable electricity.
The 90 km of new 400kV overhead power line, between new substations at Creyke Beck and High Marnham, will increase the capacity of the network.
The proposed corridor for the new line runs close to an existing overhead power line for much of the route.
The proposals are based on cost, engineering and environmental assessments as well as impacts on biodiversity, ecology, the historic environment and visual landscape.
The proposals follow the publication last year of National Grid Electricity System Operator’s “Pathway to 2030 Holistic Network Design” which established the onshore and offshore electricity transmission network reinforcements required to meet government net zero targets, including the North Humber to High Marnham project.
Rachel Tullis, Project Director for National Grid, said: “The government’s net zero target means an increase in new renewable electricity generation such as wind and solar power.
“We’re proposing new infrastructure which will connect this green energy from areas around the Humber and in the North Sea to the grid and allow clean electricity to power homes and businesses across the Midlands and to the whole country, boosting our home-grown energy security and progress towards net zero.
“As we continue to develop our plans, we want to work with local communities and organisations to ensure local employment, skills and opportunities for local businesses are delivered in the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire.
“This consultation launch is the beginning of our engagement with communities and stakeholders along the proposed route corridor and we encourage people to share their views.”
The project is still at an early stage of development and this public consultation will give local communities the first opportunity to see the plans and to provide feedback.