May 16, 2017
National Grid puts hold on 100 miles of Cumbrian power lines
A £2.8bn plan to build 100 miles of new electricity cables in Cumbria has been put on hold by National Grid because of doubts over the proposed nuclear power station the infrastructure was designed to serve. The UK electricity system operator said it was "Pausing" work on the project - which has stirred controversy because of its potential impact on the Lake District National Park - until the future of the Moorside power plant is resolved. Plans to build three new reactors at Moorside, close to the existing Sellafield nuclear site on the Cumbrian coast, are facing mounting uncertainty because of the financial crisis at Toshiba, the Japanese conglomerate leading the project. "We have decided to ... take the time to understand NuGen's programme to make sure our projects are aligned," National Grid said. Mr Samson said he remained "110 per cent sure" Moorside would go ahead. The project is one of the most far-advanced of several new nuclear power stations planned around the UK to help maintain energy security as coal is phased out and old reactors are decommissioned in coming decades.
Related companies
Make a complaint about National by viewing their customer service contacts.
