Navitus Bay revealed the location for the onshore underground cable route that would transfer the power generated offshore from the proposed Navitus Bay Wind Park into the national grid, providing clean energy for up to 820,000 homes across the UK.
The announcement follows a rigorous year-long process of on-site environmental surveys, engineering appraisal and consultation with landowners, local authorities and statutory nature conservation bodies, including Natural England and the Environmental Agency.
The 35km underground route is proposed to run from the landfall point at Taddiford Gap, between Barton-on-Sea and Milford-on-Sea, to one of two substation locations close to West Moors and Three Legged Cross, near the Mannington grid connection. The two potential substation sites are being reviewed by the developers and the chosen site will be unveiled at public exhibitions in the Autumn.
The route would consist of cable circuits buried underground by opening individual trenches and laying cables, with a voltage nominally up to 275kV, either directly into the ground or into ducts at a depth of approximately 1.5m. When construction is complete, the trenches would be returned to their original state allowing access and farming to resume. In some cases the cables may be drilled underground.
Chris Sherrington , Project Director for Navitus Bay , says: “We have taken the decision to put the cables underground, therefore no new overhead lines would be required for Navitus Bay. After carefully evaluating the nature of the area, its environmental and engineering constraints and our specific technical requirements, we feel this is the best possible route. Every effort has been taken to avoid sensitive sites and our continuing focus will be on minimising the environmental impact of the works.
“The route is still subject to rigorous assessment as part of the ongoing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and further statutory consultation. The cable route will be presented at public exhibitions in the Autumn, alongside the chosen substation site.”
If the proposed Navitus Bay Wind Park is granted planning consent, construction of the onshore elements would take place primarily over a two-year period. During onshore construction, work would be completed one area at a time, so no single section would experience continuous construction.
The first stage of formal public consultation on the offshore aspects of the proposed wind park has recently been completed, with further public consultation events and exhibitions planned towards the end of this year and beginning of next.
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Offshore WIND staff, June 7, 2012; Image: navitusbaywindpark