Public inquiry over power share plan

A row has erupted over plans to link the north-east of England and Norway with the world's longest undersea electric cable.

National Grid International (NGI) wants to build a power station on the site of a former cokeworks at Hawthorn, near Seaham in County Durham.

The station will share electric power with a similar station in south-east Norway by a 730 km long undersea cable.

But Easington District Council has refused the project planning permission and the project will now be decided by a public inquiry.

Inward investment

NGI says the project, with Norway's national grid operator Statnett, could bring £130m in inward investment to the former mining the area.

An NGI spokesman said: "Interconnection of the electricity systems of the UK and the Nordic countries will have significant economic benefits.

"These will include electricity cost savings for consumers and local employment and inward investment in east Durham and the rest of the north-east of England.

"In total, the project will result in around £130m of equipment and labour being invested in the North East."

Environmental impact

But a spokesman for Easington District Council, said the project did not fit in with plans for the district and could harm its existing regeneration projects.

He said: "The council believes it has made the right decisions for the right reasons, and that continues to be its decision."

The NGI spokesman denied the planned power station would have an environmental impact on the area.

He said: "The majority of the converter station development would not be visible in general views from the area."