Households living within 500 metres of power pylons will have £250 taken off their yearly energy bills, as part of the Government's efforts to help the UK transition away from fossil fuels. More than 40 grid upgrade projects are planned across the country, and in return for “hosting vital infrastructure”, the UK government is promising people to save up to £2,500 on their energy bills over 10 years.
Bill discounts to be paid automatically
The eligible households can expect to receive their energy bill discounts automatically every six months via their energy supplier. But some may need to apply, such as those on commercial meters. The discounts will begin next year. It is expected that more than one hundred thousand homes will be eligible for a bill discount between now and 2044.
The measure comes as ministers are hoping to prevent backlash against the increased building of pylons and substations in over 40 locations across the country in one of the country's biggest grid updates since the 1960s. The multibillion-pound upgrades will be paid for through household energy bills.
Energy minister: 'moment of national renewal'
Michael Shanks, the energy minister, said: “It is a moment of national renewal – upgrading what was built largely in the 1960s for the modern age and is our route to bringing down electricity bills for households across the country.
“It's vital we build again as a country and we are determined those communities which host pylons should benefit which is why we're bringing down the energy bills of those hosting this vital national infrastructure.”
Grid companies are expected to spend up to £77bn over five years to build the new networks and power lines needed to carry renewable electricity to urban areas with high electricity demands, The Guardian reports. The projects are often in remote communities, and the Government ruled out proposals to run the new cables underground.
Pylons: cost-effective but controversial
It said that research, commissioned by the department for energy and net zero (DESNZ), found that “building pylons remains the most cost-effective way of upgrading Britain’s outdated electricity networks” and would provide “the best value for bill-payers”.
Pylons are used to carry electricity but many people do not want to live near the large structures. Those in favour of pylons say they are needed as part of the move to net zero and that they are cheaper to build and maintain than underground alternatives. But critics argue they are an eyesore on the landscape and have concerns about the impact on wildlife.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said: “This announcement is simply a £20-a-month bribe for families whose homes will be permanently devalued by tens of thousands because of towering eyesore pylons. It insults the intelligence of every British household, especially when new cables should be placed underground where possible instead of scarring our landscape.
“These cables exist solely to prop up the failed net zero agenda which is locking tens of billions of pounds onto energy bills. Scrap net zero and the need for most of these new transmission cables vanishes.”
