The UK National Grid, which is responsible for maintaining the electricity transmission network, late last year called for input on the arguments for and against undergrounding the electricity lines for new power generation.
It is critical that the industry responds and puts forward the best case for tunnelling. It is also critical that the industry understands the current drivers in the energy debate so that it puts forward the most politically astute arguments.
The UK power sector is responding to the 2006 government energy review that gave the green light to a new generation of nuclear power stations. The issues behind the UK energy review are mirrored in almost every developed country globally. If the industry can set a precedent for undergrounding electricity lines in the UK it could help set a standard for the rest of the world.
In developing the plan for renewing the UK’s aging energy infrastructure, the review was driven by two main factors: energy security and protecting the environment. These two factors need to be present in the arguments for undergrounding the electricity lines.
The first point, security, is the easiest to fulfil. Tunnels offer complete protection against the weather as only the portals are subject to the outside world. This means the electricity lines will be protected against long-term weather corrosion as well as storms. This same restricted access can also protect the lines against attack. Maintenance of the lines is also simpler as running the lines through tunnels removes the issues of working at height.
The second point, environmental impact, will be a much more heated debate. There are obvious environmental benefits to tunnelling. The most important in the case of the electricity network is aesthetic: removing the unsightly electricity pylons from crisscrossing the countryside. However, there are also arguments against, such as the amount of energy required to construct a tunnel and the environmental impact during construction.
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By GlobalDataEach of these arguments will be looked at alongside the cost of tunnelling. In congested cities and urban areas, going underground may be the only solution. Hong Kong has in recent years completed the construction of four major power cable tunnels each some 5km long. Singapore has some 30km of power cable tunnels in design. But it will be more difficult to justify cable tunnels spanning the length and breadth of the country.
The National Grid consultation is open until mid March and will form the company’s new approach to undergrounding cables. Now is the time to make the case for tunnelling.
Jon Young
