Post

Brian Corney
@brian-corney.bsky.social

Drawbacks: High Voltage underground cables are expensive due to having larger conductors, and complex insulation needs. A 400kV double circuit, with 12 separate cables in 4 separate trenches needs a work area of 65m wide...

Brian Corney
@brian-corney.bsky.social

Faults on 400kV underground cables average a service period 25 x longer than overhead lines. (see National Grid 39111 PDF.) Apologies if this is telling someone how a watch works when then only asked the time.

Brian Corney
@brian-corney.bsky.social

Drawbacks. Underground HV cables more expensive due to need for larger conductors. To match overhead line thermal performance for a 400kV double circuit, as many as 12 separate cables in four separate trenches may be needed, resulting in a work area up to 65m wide. A fault on and

Abelian
@abelian.bsky.social

If we are going to talk about 400kV lines in this context, can we please list a few of the 400kV lines that the new rules will apply to? My understanding was that the big high voltage lines are reserved, so this is for 132kV lines and below. And probably not all of those.

James Ball
@jamesrball.com

I did note that in the piece! "Plaid Cymru only actually has authority over lower-power local transmission lines, so the actual works would be smaller, but the principle holds true."

Abelian
@abelian.bsky.social

It's complicated, because planning can happen in Westminster, in the Welsh government, or at local council level. But it's frustrating that the discussion is leaping to "burying 400kV lines is hard" when nobody is actually proposing that.