BRITS who agree for ugly electricity pylons near them should get free cash, a government review finds today.
Communities affected by new pylons and cables should also get “generous” benefits like home energy efficiency upgrades, a report from Britain’s electricity networks commissioner says.
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Nick Winser, Britain’s electricity networks commissioner said money should be spent on local schemes to help Brits upgrade their homes, making bills cheaper too.
More pylons are needed to help power the nation for electric cars and heat pumps in future.
But Tory MPs are already kicking off about plans for the unappealing new pylons going through the heart of their areas.
The report says: “Residents of properties close to new overhead lines should receive a defined direct payment. Communities should receive a set amount of money for new visible infrastructure they host.”
He wants to halve the time it takes to connect electricity power lines from 14 years to seven.
National Grid think that five times more cables need to be built to meet our energy needs.
And it’s far cheaper to build them overground than under, the report warns.
Ministers today welcomed the ideas and said they would respond to them later in the year.
It’s not yet known how much cash families could get, or when it could start.
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Energy Secretary Grant Shapps, said today: “The UK is leading the world on renewable energy and decarbonising faster than any other country in the G7.
“We must ensure we are taking full advantage of our success and getting the increased supply of homegrown, clean energy that we have at our fingertips to people’s homes and businesses for years to come.
“That is why we asked Nick Winser to carry out this review – I welcome his report and am grateful for his work.
“This is another important step as we continue to reform our energy system to drive down bills, grow the economy and ensure tyrants like Putin can never again use energy as a weapon of war.”
