OFGEM announces that Nautilus will not go through Suffolk

On Tuesday, industry regulator the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) announced that power firm National Grid's Nautilus interconnector, which connects Belgian wind farms to the UK grid, would be coming onshore at the Isle of Grain.

Originally, the cable had been set to make landfall in Suffolk and be routed through a new substation in Friston along with a number of other cables connected to offshore wind farms.

READ MORE: Suffolk upset over Nautilus decision to route to Friston

Fiona Gilmore, from SEAS, welcomed the OFGEM decision but said the campaigners would continue to campaign for an offshore grid (Image: Charlotte Bond) However, campaign groups such as Suffolk Energy Action Solutions (SEAS) have been calling for the cables to be routed "closer to demand" and for an offshore grid to be created so fewer cables had to cross the Suffolk countryside.

They fear the environment and wildlife will be damaged by running the cables through rural areas.

READ MORE: SEAS believes more artefacts could be unearthed on route

SEAS founder Fiona Gilmore said: "Suffolk Energy Action Solutions (SEAS) and Offshore4sure welcome this decision.

"For the last three years SEAS has campaigned for core design principles to be applied for all future decisions.

"As part of this strategic spatial energy plan Nautilus should go to Grain as it is already a major energy hub and it’s much closer to London and demand."

READ MORE: Archaeological work is set to begin for wind farms next week

Other energy projects, including LionLink, connecting the UK and Netherlands and Sea Link, between the UK and Kent, are still set to be routed via the Friston substation and a converter station at Saxmundham.

For this reason, Fiona said SEAS would be continuing its campaigning and she called for LionLink to make landfall at a brownfield site closer to London.

Richard Rout, county councillor and cabinet member with responsibility for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), said the OFGEM decision was good news for Suffolk communities (Image: Suffolk County Council) Councillor Richard Rout, the county council's cabinet member for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), said the decision was "good news" for communities in the county.

He said: "As a council, we have long argued that that this project should connect at the Isle of Grain.

"While it's good news for communities in east Suffolk that Nautilus will now connect elsewhere, like us they will want urgent clarity that another project won’t take its connection here in Suffolk.

“Suffolk was yet again bracing itself for the impact of another large energy project so there is some relief following this announcement.

"The council has always supported the need for the country to ensure energy security, but we’re now seeing layer upon layer of uncoordinated energy projects impacting Suffolk, irreversibly damaging communities, their heritage and environment.

Suffolk Coastal MP Jenny Riddell-Carpenter also welcomed the Nautilus decision (Image: Labour Party) "The risk of the government’s headlong dash to decarbonise the grid by 2030 is that another project will simply take the place of Nautilus and there will be no respite for our coastal communities.”

Ben Wilson, president of National Grid Ventures, said the LionLink and Nautilus projects would have the capacity to power 4.2 million UK homes.

He added: "Community and stakeholder feedback has been essential to the evolution of Nautilus.

"We have always advocated for the Isle of Grain as the best location for Nautilus given it’s already a major hub for energy infrastructure and has the potential to offer the shortest offshore cable route to Belgium.

READ MORE: Suffolk news

"This view was reinforced by community and stakeholder feedback.

"Now that OFGEM has approved Nautilus, we will continue to develop the project at Grain and look forward to engaging the community on our plans during future consultation.”

Suffolk Coastal MP Jenny Riddell-Carpenter also welcomed the news and said she had spoken to the Government and OFGEM about the proposals.

She said: "I am delighted that OFGEM has listened to my clear recommendations, the concerns of the local community, environmental groups and all stakeholders and now made the decision to move the Nautilus landing site to the Isle of Grain. 

“This is a significant step forward in ensuring that the UK’s energy transition can happen in a way that balances our climate goals with the protection of our natural heritage. 

“This decision demonstrates that it is possible to develop essential infrastructure while respecting local communities and the natural environment.  

“My own representations to OFGEM, since being elected, made it explicitly clear that the Isle of Grain was the only site that should be considered, not the Suffolk coast and that brownfield sites must be at the heart of infrastructure planning.   

“I am confident that OFGEM’s decision will lead to a more sustainable, well-planned project that delivers the benefits of renewable energy without compromising the natural environment of the Suffolk coast."

East Suffolk councillor Tom Daly also welcomed the news that Nautilus was set to be re-routed to Kent (Image: East Suffolk Council) East Suffolk councillor Tom Daly, cabinet member for energy and climate change, also welcomed the news.

He said: “The change of heart is welcome news for East Suffolk Council and the local communities it represents.

“We have been calling on OFGEM to reverse such a decision and allow Nautilus to proceed to the Isle of Grain, rather than putting short term cost advantages before all else - including exploring possible future economies in coordinating multiple projects at a brownfield site rather than peppering our heritage coast with unplanned-for industrial development.

“The political leadership and technical expertise within East Suffolk Council has enabled OFGEM to see sense and listen to the concerns of local people within the communities set to be impacted by such a project.

"It has been a long road, however it is moments like this which make it all worthwhile.”