Region 'needs fair share' of alternative energy

Conservative MP for South Suffolk James Cartlidge has criticised the government's decision to remove funding from an offshore energy study in the East of England

An MP has questioned the government's decision to scrap funding into research on offshore power lines.

James Cartlidge, Conservative MP for South Suffolk, received a letter on Tuesday from energy minister Michael Shanks, detailing the end of an offshore network co-ordination proposal in the East of England.

Mr Shanks stated development costs for such an energy programme could reach £890m and could delay the completion of several offshore wind farms by five years.

Mr Cartlidge believed it signalled the government's plans to push ahead with a 114-mile (180km) line of pylons between Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.

The offshore power line proposal formed part of the wider Offshore Coordination Support Scheme (OCSS).

It was implemented to explore the possibility for "advanced offshore energy projects", including in East Anglia, according to Mr Shanks' letter.

Mr Cartlidge is part of a group of MPs in the region calling for underground, offshore power lines to transport renewable energy instead of pylons, which he said could be "very damaging to the countryside".

"Initially there was a lot of scepticism about this - I had to point out it is happening in other parts of the UK at great expense," he explained.

"A key part of taking forward an offshore grid in East Anglia [was] this OCSS scheme, which is government funding for a study into it.

"That study has looked at it and the government has said the actual work of co-ordinating it is too expensive.

"Their estimated cost is £890m and they say this would be too expensive on consumer bills.

"My view on that is really simple - they've spent billions in the rest of the country so what is wrong with East Anglia?"

Mr Cartlidge said the decision was a "slap in the face" for his constituents after rising energy costs and the scrapping of the winter fuel allowance.

He stressed he was in support of renewable energy but felt East Anglia and its countryside seemed to be "an afterthought".

"I think you have to have a balanced approach," he continued.

"There is a place for solar but not the enormous sites we're getting where the impact on farmland is so disproportionate.

"Rather than saying we must have pylons, you've got to have them whether you like it or not, I wish the government would read the letters I send, the comments from my constituents who know there are alternatives, that other options are being pursued elsewhere in the country.

"I want to see that fair approach where East Anglia gets its fair share of alternative infrastructure that, at the moment, we are just not seeing at all and this letter confirms that."

Michael Shanks (left) said Kier Starmer (right) was committed to reducing the impact from energy projects on communities

Mr Shanks in his letter explained a potential offshore power line could delay the completion of the North Falls and Five Estuaries offshore wind farms off the Essex and Suffolk coastline.

He said in a statement: "Independent research has shown this offshore connection project would add significant costs to customer bills, take far longer to build and reduce the power output of the wind farms.

"Continuing to fund this scheme would only delay these wind farms powering British homes and businesses with clean energy.

"By getting more renewable energy on to the grid, we will boost our energy independence and deliver on our mission for homegrown, clean power by 2030."