UK Power Networks has been working in conjunction with the Shotley Parish Council and local land owners in what will be the largest underwater drilling scheme by this company.
UK Power Network will hold a public presentation at Shotley Village Hall on Thursday, April 20 at 4pm, to explain about work being carried out in the area later this year.
Preparatory work is underway to remove pylons and lay two high voltage electricity cables under the rivers Stour and Orwell as part of a £27 million scheme to boost power supplies to Felixstowe, Shotley and Harwich.
UK Power Networks, which owns and operates the electricity networks in the East of England, London and the South East, has carried out archeological investigations and dug bore holes ahead of the two-year project which will see 16km of 132kv cable installed between Ipswich and Felixstowe. The scheme also involves 33kV cables being installed into Shotley and Harwich to provide underground supplies to those regions currently supplied by overhead lines.
The development is set to be the largest underwater drilling scheme ever undertaken by the company, which will use a 1.7km and 1.1km directional drills to lay the cables beneath the two rivers.
The firm also plans to remove 10km of overhead power lines between Felixstowe and Ipswich, which will improve the appearance of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Special Protection Areas along the rivers and coastline.
Note from the Shotley Parish Council Chairman Barrie Powell: "Exciting news about the Power Cable coming through Shotley In theory, this should give us an un-interrupted supply of electricity as the cable is from Ipswich – Felixstowe - Shotley in that order, going under the River Stour to Harwich. Fortunately we have been able to negotiate with the local farmers and the many groups associated to make good use of the many tons of soil drilled from under the river in re-enforcing the banks of the Orwell and so reduce the risk of flooding
This is indeed a good and beneficial result
I am sure much will be learned from the Power Networks presentation being held at the Village Hall on the 20th April starting at 4pm, which will be a brilliant opportunity for any questions you may have to be answered."