North West Coast Connections Strategic Options Summary

Securing our energy supply for future generations.

For further information about National Grid, please visit www.northwestcoastconnections.com

Connecting people to power At National Grid, our job is to connect people to the energy they use – from the warmth and light we use in our homes, to the power that drives the country’s businesses. We own and operate the electricity network to which different energy generation sources are connected. We hold a vital position at the centre of the energy system. We join everything up.

The North West Coast Connections Project In Cumbria and Lancashire a number of electricity generating companies have asked us to provide them with connections to the national electricity network. We currently have connection agreements in place for the proposed new 3.2GW nuclear power station known as Moorside near Sellafield in West Cumbria, as well as a number of offshore wind farms in the Irish Sea. The output of these proposed generators will result in a total increase in generating capacity in the North West of 5.3GW by 2025. 5.3GW represents approximately six per cent of the UK’s installed generating capacity or about 10 per cent of the winter peak electricity demand.

What is a double circuit? A circuit is a single electrical connection between two or more points on the electricity network. Most of the power lines in the UK are double circuits. For example, if you look at a pylon you’ll see it carries wires on two sides. The lines on one side are one three phase circuit, while the lines on the other side form another single circuit – hence ‘double circuit’.

It is our job to decide how and where to reinforce the existing electricity network in the North West to provide the connections required for these energy projects. At the same time, we must maintain a secure and reliable system which can support electricity users at all times, even during maintenance or unexpected disruptions such as those caused by extreme weather for example. To connect a power station the size of Moorside into the existing transmission system we would need to build a minimum of four 400kV single transmission circuits – or two double circuits. The closest points on the existing national grid where circuits of this size could connect are at least 50 kilometres away from the Moorside site.

Identifying our Strategic Options

Consultation

After establishing the need for two new 400kV double circuit connections, we worked together with local authorities from across Cumbria and Lancashire, as well as organisations such as Natural England and English Heritage, to explore the different options available for connecting the new generators.

Having identified six different ways of connecting new power generators into the existing transmission system, we undertook an initial consultation between May and July 2012.

The outcome of this work helped us identify six options that all presented viable solutions for making the connections needed in the North West.

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For more information

The Project Need Case, which explains why the North West Coast Connections Project and the work we propose undertaking is needed, is available from our community relations team and the Project website (see back cover for details).

During this consultation we asked people to provide feedback on all six options and to also highlight any issues they thought we should take into consideration when making a decision on which option to take forward for further development. While this initial consultation was primarily aimed at stakeholders and statutory bodies with specific technical expertise, information was also made publicly available on our Project website so interested individuals could respond if they wished. All the feedback received during the consultation was recorded, analysed, and together with the findings from our assessments of the six options, used to inform our decision to take forward two options to the next stage of the development process. Carefully recording and analysing all feedback received enabled us to consider and respond to all points raised while also identifying the key issues that we need to consider as the Project moves forward.

The six options we consulted on OPTION 1 – Four onshore circuits south from Moorside

Moorside

Sellafield

OPTION 2 – Four offshore circuits south from Moorside

Moorside

Sellafield

Hutton Heysham

Quernmore Tee

Heysham

Quernmore Tee

Stanah

OPTION 3 – Two circuits north from Moorside and two onshore circuits south

OPTION 4 – Two circuits north from Moorside and two offshore circuits south Harker

Carlisle

Moorside

Carlisle

Sellafield

Moorside

Heysham

Quernmore Tee

Heysham

Sellafield

Quernmore Tee

Stanah

OPTION 5 – Four circuits north from Moorside and two circuits south from Harker

OPTION 6 – Four circuits north from Moorside and two circuits east from Harker Blyth Tynemouth South Shields Stella West West Boldon Offerton Hawthorn Pit 4

Fourstones

Harker

Harker

2

1

Carlisle

5

3

6

7

Carlisle

8

9

Moorside

Sellafield

Moorside

Sellafield

Hutton

Heysham

Key:

Quernmore Tee

275kV Existing Transmission System

One 400kV DOUBLE CIRCUIT CONNECTION

Existing Substation

AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY

Upgrade existing circuits to 400kV

400kV Existing Transmission System

TWO 400kV DOUBLE CIRCUIT CONNECTIONs

National Park

New Substation Search Area

275kV Route to be taken down

For further information about National Grid, please visit www.northwestcoastconnections.com

The options taken forward OPTION 3 – Two circuits north from Moorside and two onshore circuits south

OPTION 4 – Two circuits north from Moorside and two offshore circuits south Harker

Carlisle

Moorside

Carlisle

Sellafield

Heysham

Moorside

Sellafield

Heysham

Quernmore Tee

Quernmore Tee

Stanah

Key:

275kV Existing Transmission System

One 400kV DOUBLE CIRCUIT CONNECTION

National Park

400kV Existing Transmission System

Existing Substation

AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY

In October 2012, after carefully considering all the feedback received during our consultation, we announced that we had decided to take two options forward to the next stage of the Project for further development. Both of these options would see the creation of a power ring that connects into the existing electricity network near Carlisle, then runs down to Moorside in West Cumbria before continuing south into Lancashire.

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For more information

We published a Strategic Options Report when we announced the outcome of the first stage of the development process. This explains how and why we chose to take two options forward as well as why we decided not to progress the other four options. A Consultation Feedback Report explaining how views expressed during the initial consultation were used to inform our decision was also published. Copies of these documents are available on request from the community relations team, or to download from the Project website (see back cover for details).

New Substation Search Area

As well as being the most likely to achieve the best balance between technical, economic and environmental considerations, by connecting coastal areas into the existing electricity network both options would enable any new energy projects that might come forward in West Cumbria to link into the national grid. To provide a complete connection we need to build two double circuits; one going north and one going south from Moorside – each of which will comprise a number of different elements: The northern element of a new connection will require a 400kV substation to be built near Sellafield to connect the Moorside project, then one double circuit extending north between Moorside and Harker, an existing substation located just outside Carlisle where a 400kV substation extension will be needed. The southern element requires either one double circuit going south from Moorside through the sea to come onshore at a point on the existing 400kV electricity network near Blackpool Airport, with a 400kV substation at Stanah near Thornton in Lancashire; or one onshore double circuit extending south from Moorside to a point on the 400kV transmission between Quernmore and Heysham in Lancashire where a new 400kV substation will need to be constructed.

Development process

Next steps

The development process we undertake on all our major projects involves a number of stages as set out below:

Our announcement in October 2012 that we had decided to take two options forward for further development signalled the completion of the Strategic Options stage in our development process.

Strategic Options Explore with stakeholders the different ways in which we might meet the need for new infrastructure in a particular area. Outline Routeing and Siting Carry out work to identify potential corridors through which transmission equipment could be routed to deliver a connection. We consult on these findings with key stakeholders and local communities. Detailed Routeing Having identified broad route corridors, we work with a range of people, including landowners and local communities, to identify and appraise where a new transmission line and associated equipment could go within the preferred route to deliver a connection.

The next stage – Outline Routeing – involves us assessing the two options we have chosen to take forward to identify broad potential corridors our transmission equipment could follow on land and offshore to deliver the required connection. Once this work has been completed we will consult with communities. Consultation events will be publicised in advance and people will be able to meet with members of our team to discuss the Project in more detail and provide their views on the corridors we have identified. People interested in receiving regular updates on the Project development process, engagement and consultation activity can register their contact details with us using any one of the contact methods listed below.

Proposed Application A full public consultation is undertaken on draft proposals. Feedback received can be used to help shape the final application which will then be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) for permission to build. Application Submission Submit an application for development consent to PINS. Construction & Operation Construction will start once the necessary permissions are granted.

There are lots of ways to contact us and find out more information:

Call our freephone number: 0800 876 6990. Lines are open between 9.00am - 5.00pm Monday - Friday

Scan our quick response code to visit our Project website at: www.northwestcoastconnections.com

Register for text alerts: Text NWCC to 80800

Send an email to: [email protected]

Write to our freepost address at: FREEPOST NG NWCC

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