Grid urged to ditch tunnel plan for Menai

THE NATIONAL Grid has been urged to ditch “scandalous” plans for a tunnel under the Menai Strait as its controversial proposals for a new row of overhead pylons on Anglesey gather steam.

The Planning Inspectorate has confirmed that it accepted the Grid’s plans for a new 400,000 volt connection for Wylfa Newydd, which will now proceed to the official examination stage.

This means the proposals for a new line of overhead pylons across Anglesey and a tunnel under the Menai Strait will be reviewed by the Inspectorate to decide if they should be given the go-ahead.

But the contentious plans have proved unpopular locally, with the Grid accused at a recent public meeting of “running roughshod” over Anglesey by persisting with the cheapest option of overhead pylons at the expense of the county council’s favoured option of the cables being underground.

As well as pylons, the proposals also include a tunnel under the Menai Strait, which the local AM claims could cost as much as £300m, despite official estimates being closer to the £100m mark.

This is despite calls for the Grid to work with the Welsh Government on carrying the cables on a third Menai Crossing instead.

“Why spend hundreds of millions on a tunnel?” said economic development portfolio holder Cllr Carwyn Jones.

“Where there’s a will there’s a way, and here we have a perfect opportunity for the Welsh Government and the Grid to show the will and work together now on fully undergrounding and carrying the cables over a third crossing of the Menai.

Commenting on the Planning Inspectorate’s acceptance of its Development Consent Order (DCO) application, Gareth Williams of the National Grid said: “We’ve worked hard to develop our proposals in a way that we think means there will be no long-term effects on most areas of Anglesey and North Gwynedd.”