Eurolink update - what we know so far...
In the last week four WPC Councillors have had the opportunity to attend webinars put on by National Grid to begin explaining proposals for using Suffolk Coastal as the location for landing underwater electric cables called Multi-Purpose Interconnectors (MPI) and constructing sub-stations to connect to the Netherlands, Belgium and Kent. The proposals for Eurolink and Sealink have not been previously shared with local Parish Councils. The initial proposal for Nautilus was consulted with some of the most likely impacted communities (which does not include Walberswick) approximately a year ago.
This article summarises what was learnt/interpreted from these initial webinars. For Walberswick, the most immediate concern relates to Eurolink but all of the projects have the potential to bring negative impacts particularly when the cumulative impact is considered.
Overall situation for the Suffolk Coast
In short, the Government's decision to allow the sub-station for the off-shore Scottish Power EA1 and EA2 to be located in Friston rather than in a brown-field site, and the building of 2 EPR nuclear reactors at Sizewell C, sets up the Suffolk Coast to become an industrialised area not only for power generation, but for more and more MPI, substations and transmission lines. This is because National Grid, a UK State-owned company responsible for transmission of electricity, is mandated to build transmission lines to where power is generated. In other words, it is the owners of power generation (usually for-profit companies like EDF and Scottish Power) who determine where they build their plants and then National Grid must build and install power transmission capabilities to off-take the electricity generated. The national Government (BEIS, under Kwasi Kwarteng during the time that Boris Johnson was PM), supported by East Suffolk District Council, have approved the building of these power generators in green field, AONB and SSSI sites along the Suffolk coast. Because of this, despite normally building sub-stations in brown field sites if possible, National Grid is similarly looking to put all of its infrastructure in green field sites in Suffolk coastal. Obviously, the relationship between electricity generation and transmission projects would have been known to BEIS. However, by taking up each project individually as an NSIP, and excluding discussion of how the generated electricity would reach the grid, BEIS could approve projects without considering the cumulative effects. According to National Grid, if Friston and/or Sizewell C were not to go forward, then these cabling systems similarly would not be required in this area.
There are currently three set of MPIs and related above ground substations being proposed to connect Friston to both the UK and European grids (and continental Europe to us).
- Eurolink: This is the most immediate concern for us as it is proposed that the cable from the Netherlands would come on shore in one of four locations: Southwold, Walberswick, Dunwich or between Thorpness and Aldeburgh and then travel underground (mostly) to a large substation that Eurolink would build somewhere around Saxmunden-Friston-Leiston and then underground again until connecting to the massive Friston sub-station being built by Scottish Power. The choice of locations for coming on-shore was done only as a 'desk study' and no one from Eurolink visited the potential sites. Eurolink’s consultants said that in determining the final location, they would consider things like environmental damage, SSSI and AONB, accessibility, population centres, etc.
- If Eurolink were to come ashore at Walberswick, the building site would be 2 hectares (20,000sq metres), so pretty much the whole of the beach, the dunes and the Cliff Field car park. Work would take an estimated 4 years, after which only a “kiosk” (like a telephone box) would be left above ground. It is, therefore, primarily about the destruction caused during construction and damage to the eco-system left behind, rather than the operation of the cable itself, that is most problematic (assuming no other issues or repairs would be required). Eurolink would like to start in 2025 with a target of 2029 for completion. The working life of the cables is 40 years, but may last 60-70 years. No answers were given on the effects of coastal erosion over that period as Eurolink has not modelled it. Eurolink is unwilling to share the desktop analysis that led to the selection of these sites and said that they would not do so until their DCO application is fully formed.
- It would seem to anyone who knows our area, that Walberswick beach would be wholly unsuitable given its inaccessibility for transport or materials, its designation as an AONB and SSSI and the fact that it is a full-year, heavily used beach. Southwold and Dunwich (depending on where the MPI would land) would seem to have similar issues. Only if it landed at the Sizewell nuclear site would these obvious shortfalls presumably be avoided.
- Despite having consultations in every other location where the cable would make landfall, Eurolink has reiterated that they have no intention of having a public meeting in Walberswick. In response to repeated requests by WPC, Eurolink have said that Southwold should be close enough for Walberswick residents.
2. Sealink: This is another National Grid venture (being handled through a separate sub-company) which would link coastal Suffolk (and Friston) to Kent. This is to allow transfer of power around and between the southeast of England. Just like Eurolink, it involves an MPI (originating in Kent) landing on one of the Suffolk beaches, leading to another enormous sub-station (26 metres high and 5 hectares of land). Their announced 'preferred' landing for Sealink is on the beach somewhere between Thorpeness and Aldeburgh (reportedly near Aldeburgh’s Seashell sculpture). The sub-station would possibly be in/around Saxmunden, Leiston, Friston area.
3. Nautilus: This is yet another MPI. This one travelling from Belgium and much the same story; coming on shore on coastal Suffolk, connecting to a 3rd substation.
4. New transmission towers? Although this was not part of the National Grid presentation, in answer to a question, a National Grid engineer indicated that the existing pylons at Sizewell cannot carry Sizewell C electricity. They therefore expected that there would be another DCO for another set of above ground transmission lines to connect to Bramford, if Sizewell C goes forward.
Direct Impact of Eurolink on Walberswick
As noted above, if Walberswick were to be the preferred site, the damage would likely be considerable. Many details are unknown because studies have not been conducted. It can be assumed, however, that it would include the loss of access to the Walberswick beach and Cliff Field (which would become a construction site) and the lasting damage that construction would have on the delicate and special coastal fauna and flora on the beach, the dunes, and surrounding marshes. There would also be the construction damage related to digging a trench for the running of the underground cable from Walberswick beach 10 miles or so to wherever the sub-station would be located. This says nothing of the impact on the houses nearby, the loss of the village as a beachside tourist destination during construction (and potentially afterwards because of loss of habitat), the impact on businesses and the lives of all residents. How National Grid would organise the taking of land, including that of the Walberswick Common Lands Charity, is unknown.
If another site other than Walberswick is selected, it will not negate the impact that these MPI projects will have to the south of us. Friston and/or surrounding villages could end up with 5 buildings, each 5 hectares in size and 26 metres tall. This construction would be ongoing for years and at the same time as the building of Sizewell C and the Friston sub-station.
What was made clear is that the decisions (with perhaps the exception of Nautilus) are at the earliest stage. No decisions on location of landings, sub-stations, nor route of cables, have been made. The wide range of places on our coast set out by National Grid as possibilities is an indication of how much engineering work is still needed. National Grid also admitted that they had done no thinking about the transport impacts, how/where they would find a workforce, where this workforce would live, what would be the cumulative impact of Sizewell C and Friston being built at the same time as National Grid’s three additional sub-stations and cabling systems. This means that we should have time now to bring some local knowledge and views to the process. But if Sizewell C and Friston are allowed to go forward then overall the die is cast in terms of National Grid’s additional infrastructure. (At this time, there are Judicial Reviews pending on Friston and Sizewell C and some £30 billion of financing needs to be identified for Sizewell C.)
Next Steps
Walberswick Parish Council will be discussing this issue formally as part of its meeting on 14th November, in the Heritage Hut at 7PM and anyone who wants to come along to listen to the discussion or to express a view in the "open Forum" part of the meeting is very welcome to do so, and the meeting (as always) can also be joined remotely (via Zoom) - if anyone would like to join remotely, please email andrew.wpcouncillor@gmail.com BEFORE 6PM on the day of the meeting
The most important next step will then be to attend one of the five in-person consultation events where you can view the proposals in more detail and put your questions directly to the project team. The dates, times and locations of the events are as follows:
Exhibition Event #1: Leiston
Date: Wednesday 23rd November
Time: 10:00 - 16:00
Location: Waterloo Centre, Waterloo Avenue, Leiston, IP16 4HE
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Exhibition Event #2: Saxmundham
Date: Thursday 24th November
Time: 14:00 - 20:00
Location: Saxmundham Market Hall, High St, Saxmundham IP17 1AF
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Exhibition Event #3: Aldeburgh
Date: Friday 25th November
Time: 10:00 - 16:00
Location: St Peter and St Paul’s Church Hall, Victoria Road, Aldeburgh, IP15 5DU
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Exhibition Event #4: Reydon
Date: Wednesday 30th November
Time: 10:00-16:00
Location: Stella Peskett Hall, Mights Rd, Southwold IP18 6BE
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Exhibition Event #5: Dunwich
Date: Thursday 1st December
Time: 14:00-20:00
Location: Dunwich Museum, James Street, Saxmundham IP17 3DT