Sea Link Interconnector

Fiona Gilmore gets great balanced coverage + a poor response from National Grid.

Please sign and share our National Petition!  Alongside it is a brilliant new film 'COAST' made for SEAS by Ralph Fiennes and Director Charles Sturridge, with many film crew and animators also giving up their time for free. This film superbly captures what we have to lose and the key arguments why current plans must be changed.

SEAS Fiona Gilmore believes National Grid ESO will carry out a 'comparative study' into bringing the cables onshore at Bradwell-on-Sea in Essex VS a new substation at Friston.

Consultation on Suffolk-Kent Sea Link project ends after 1k responses. SEAS David McKenna says, "..the problem is over a number of decades the government has effectively surrendered control of this industry to the private sector."

SEAS sent a detailed response to SeaLink about their recent Statutory Consultation, pushing back against their unsatisfactory consultation and misguided plans

SEAS is opposed to the on-shore element of coordination plans announced as part of the OCSS scheme. Fiona Gilmore said the group supported the idea of pooling cabling at sea, but said the electricity should instead be brought on shore at a brownfield site at the Isle of Grain in Kent.

Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey told a SEAS campaigners' meeting she has been 'unleashed' to help community groups fighting plans to route electricity cables through the Suffolk countryside.

National Grid's plans to site 3 Converter Stations on the East side of Sax. SEAS Fiona Gilmore will present the offshore alternative to industrialising Suffolk Coastal.

SEALINK is an HVDC subsea transmission cable which takes EXCESS power from Friston to Kent. This is the FINAL stage of the process before a DCO (Development Consent Order) application in 2024 so do get involved.

SEAS believes Lord Justice Singh's decision will enable the case for an offshore grid to be advanced, instead of routing the cables from the East Anglia ONE and TWO wind farms through rural areas.

SEAS granted permission to appeal against an earlier decision by the High Court in London, that rejected its calls for a judicial review into UK government consent for substations being built, as part of Iberdrola’s offshore wind mega-project off eastern England.

'Green Energy Casts a Shadow Over a Cherished English Landscape' - Stanley Read visited East Anglia, writing about how "residents of East Anglia fear that planned power lines for offshore wind projects will blight their rural idyll".

"Wind farm interconnector would help to power 1.8m homes, but Walberswick locals say it would be disastrous for the landscape, wildlife and tourism".

Prime Minister Richi Sunak struggles to justify current plans for onshore wind infrastructure and nuclear

Meeting of the Full Council on Wednesday, 27 September 2023 - Agenda Documents HERE

Recent consultation events in Reydon/Southwold and Walberswick saw over 700 locals showed up to oppose LionLink’s ridiculous plans.

Lack of energy plan risks panic-bulldozing - It’s time Government laid out what infrastructure is needed where, or we will rush into destroying our countryside

LOCALS in the seaside village of Walberswick which is home to a number of celebs say it’s being destroyed by huge trenches which are as wide as a motorway.

Prof Nick Butler Energy Economist and Rosie Pearson from Pylons interviewed about Britain's energy infrastructure

Winser Report - Independent recommendations from the UK’s Electricity Networks Commissioner, Nick Winser, on how to accelerate the deployment of electricity transmission infrastructure.

The OTNR took three years to be completed heralding new policy reforms for a Future Framework, at last a master plan in the making.

Vattenfall/Developers can reduce costs via an Integrated Offshore Grid.

Offshore Transmission Network Review: proposals for an enduring regime and multi-purpose interconnectors

Carving of 80m wide trench through Norfolk countryside begins (eventually 53km long)

We correct National Grid's disingenuous Offshore Grid costings for East Anglia

SEAS were disappointed re the JR judgment but having reviewed it with legal team have decided to proceed with an Appeal.

SEAS and many supporters emailed urging a meeting before MPs summer recess

National Grid launch a public consultation about Norwich to Tilbury pylons, Fiona Gilmore speaks to Luke Deal about the offshore grid alternative.

After four years of invitations to successive energy Ministers SEAS finally met face to face to discuss an Offshore Grid

Congratulations to Aldeburgh & Leiston's new East Suffolk Councillors: Tom Daly (Energy & Climate Change ), Katie Graham (Communities. Leisure, Tourism) and Sarah Whitelock. Also to Caroline Topping the new ESC Leader

Signed by 3,821 people, the petition requests a comparative study for East Anglia of offshore transmission network designs, including with landfall at brownfield sites, properly assessing environmental impacts before current energy proposals are taken further.

Essex, Suffolk & Norfolk Community Groups are jointly demanding a review of an offshore grid linking ALL of East Anglia’s windfarms & interconnectors to offshore energy platforms, subsea cabling power to suitable brownfield landing sites.

Their plan requires future offshore wind farms to be built in Designated Marine Areas, and proposes they will connect to offshore substations designed and built by EirGrid. Britain needs to set up the independent FSO in 2023 and do the same.

BBC journalist Joshua Nevett recently interviewed SEAS Fiona Gilmore as part of a local tour

SEAS call for Graham Stuart to seize the opportunity presented by developers such as Orsted seeking to renegotiate their contracts for difference.

Court of Appeal grant SEAS permission to proceed to Judicial Review

SEAS Reply to Minister Graham Stuart's 16 Jan letter pinpoints why it is disingenuous and full of false promises.

Fantastic article  'An Offshore Grid is no fantasy' in the East Anglian Daily Times (30 Jan 2023), based on a letter from SEAS founder Fiona Gilmore.

Jerome Mayhew MP at Sheringham Shoal & Dudgeon DCO Open Hearing 17 Jan 2023, calling for an Offshore Transmission Network for East Anglia, cumulative impact assessment and connection point renegotiation.

SEAS Response to National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) consultation on Sea Link Interconnector - 18 December 2022

SEAS Response to National Grid Ventures (NGV) consultation on Eurolink Interconnector - 18 December 2022

2022 Review Newsletter: A Review of the Year's Achievements and Festive Greetings to All

SEAS Letter to National Grid CEO John Pettigrew about what needs to happen next - 4 December 2022

Environment secretary calls for a review of Suffolk energy projects - 6 December 2022

SEAS Fiona Gilmore on BBC Radio Suffolk Oct 24th re National Grid's public consultations for Sealink & Eurolink

‘Years of ministerial dithering alongside bad planning have helped deliver the perfect storm’

"SASES strongly supports offshore wind and has only taken this action due to the deep flaws in the onshore aspects of these projects and the associated decision making"  SASES

As of early evening on 31 March 2022, ScottishPower Renewables East Anglia One North and East Anglia Two offshore wind projects have been consented.

A difficult time for many and for those directly affected, hard to bear.

We have all challenged and opposed with reason, emotion and determination.  Sadly, our voices did not prevail.

Onshore eyesores that come with offshore wind farms to be shrunk.

Plan to reduce unsightly infrastructure such as cables, substations and pylons in government push to get coastal communities onside.

Legal action threatened over wind farms

Communities in Suffolk are threatening legal action.  SEAS has sent a pre-action protocol letter to Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng urging a rethink before seeking permission to apply for a judicial review.

Campaigners 'devastated' after two large wind farms off Suffolk coast given consent.

"This is extremely bad news for the area ... We're thinking about taking this decision to a judicial review."  Fiona Gilmore SEAS

The decision would mean "the devastation of Friston and east Suffolk ... It will mean the loss of 100 acres of farmland at Friston to build the substation."  SASES

Concern over imminent decision on wind farms ...

... we are proud of having renewables at sea. We are very proud of it, but we believe that there are better solutions for the sub-stations, not just for habitats and the environment, but also for the local economy ..."  Fiona Gilmore, SEAS

"We are recommending brownfield sites ... and have requested a split decision ... to prevent the loss of land designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty ..." Sarah Courage, Kelsale

"Wind energy can be gathered from three or four windfarms at offshore platforms and brought to brownfield hubs ..."  Fiona Gilmore, SEAS

Celebrities speak out against onshore energy hub

"Sir ... A split decision is suggested, to continue building wind turbines but to pivot to offshore integrated cabling to brownfield sites."

Dame Joanna Lumley and actor Ralph Fiennes have warned in a joint letter that two planned wind farms off the Suffolk coast could see an area of beautiful countryside "disappear under a sea of concrete".

Green Party, Liberal Democrat and Independent councillors at  East Suffolk Council have said further work should be paused ...

"I understand this is a big challenge for Government and developers but our communities really do need to see some action now, after what has been a lot of talking, it is time to get a grip." 

"If this means calling a pause to further onshore activity until strategic co-ordination is in place, then so be it"  
East Anglian Daily Times, 10 February 2022

Interview with SEAS biodiversity expert Dr. Gill Horrocks  The podcast highlights the importance of balancing our need for renewable energy with the need to look after irreplaceable landscapes that bring a richness not just to wildlife but to human habitation and to our communities and to people's quality of life.

National Grid Ventures and Nautilus Interconnector between Suffolk and Belgium.

"Greener solution tabled to replace ‘destructive’ Suffolk energy plans", New Civil Engineer, 20 September 2021

"The onshore aspects of these projects must be rejected"  The Rt Hon Dr Therese Coffey MP

Campaigners call for 'split decision' over Suffolk windfarm projects, East Anglian Daily Times, 19 July 2021

The terrifying scale of ground investigation works at the substation site of Friston. A tiny foretaste of what is to come if we do not stop these plans.

Interviews with Sarah Bardwell, Andrew Heald, Jason Gathorne-Hardy, Maggi Hambling, George Pell, Jenny Hall, Tony Bone and others.

New Policy Exchange Report, touts East Coast of England as the best place for an integrated 'Pathfinder' project.

Our congratulations to the two newly elected Councillors for East Suffolk Council.  Notably both candidates support a ‘Split Decision’ as a way forward.