Allister presses Regulator on North/South Interconnector
07 May 2009
Jim Allister MEP has said he will be pressing Utility Regulator Iain Osborne to formally respond to the recommendations contained within the Askon Report, that new electricity cabling associated with the Tyrone Cavan interconnector should be buried underground.
Speaking after meeting with Juli-Ann Denvir and Isabelle Todd, local campaigners from the Safe Electricity for Armagh Tyrone (SEAT) lobby group, the MEP said,
“A major project-specific study has been carried out by leading technology consultancy group ASKON, looking at the comparative merits of underground cables versus overhead lines for the proposed North/South interconnector. The ASKON report recommends that all new extra high voltage power lines should be buried underground, based on improved reliability of the network, better environmental integration, and significantly on whole- life cost”.
“While there can be an additional outlay associated with undergrounding cables, ASKON has revealed that this will be cancelled out by the much more efficient performance of the network compared with using overhead cables. It is the position of local residents that the Regulator has not fully considered the recommendations contained within the ASKON Report, and that the best option for Northern Ireland consumers and residents may not have been considered.”
“That is why I have written afresh to the Utility Regulator, Mr Osborne insisting that he fully considers -and responds to -the key recommendations of ASKON, which is the least that local affected residents should expect. Finally, I have asked that impartial costings of undergrounding versus overhead pylons are produced to allow an informed discussion on this issue.”
ENDS
