National Grid’s Nautilus project, which could have landed in Friston, relocated to Isle Of Grain, in Kent
A major energy project which could have landed on the Suffolk coast will instead use a site at Kent, it was announced today.
Ofgem has approved the Initial Project Assessments for the LionLink and Nautilus interconnectors, which would the UK with offshore energy reserves in the Netherlands and Belgium respectively.
In July, SuffolkNews reported that it was planned for the Nautilus project to return to its original plan of using Friston for its landfall.
However Ofgem’s initial objection to using the Isle Of Grain for this has been reversed, so National Grid will relocate Nautilus there.
The change has been welcomed by both new Suffolk Coastal MP Jenny Riddell-Carpenter and Suffolk County Council.
Ben Wilson, president of National Grid Ventures, said: “Ofgem’s approval of LionLink and Nautilus’ Initial Project Assessment is welcome news.
“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.”
Should they proceed, the projects would have a combined capacity of 3.2GW and would significantly increase interconnector capacity.
The Government, National Energy System Operator, and Climate Change Committee have all highlighted this as essential to hitting net zero targets and securing low-cost power for now and the future.
Ms Riddell-Carpenter said she was delighted with the announcement of the relocation this morning.
She said: “Since I have been elected, I have made firm representations to Ofgem in their July consultation that the Suffolk Coast should never have been considered as an appropriate landing point for Nautilus.
“We have an energy crisis in this country, but we must not create a nature crisis in finding the solutions and brownfield must always be considered first.”
Suffolk County Council welcomed the news of the relocation, but also asked for clarity on whether another project would take its place.
Richard Rout, the council’s deputy cabinet member for nationally significant infrastructure projects, said: “As a council, we have long argued that that this project should connect at the Isle of Grain.
“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.”
National Grid Ventures’ participation in these projects is conditional on a final investment decision which amongst other things will require certainty on an acceptable economic regulatory regime for the projects.
The two projects are forecast to deliver a combined £674million in benefits to consumers in the first ten years of their operations.
