A woman claims that plans for a cable installation and electricity substation close to her home are hurting the neighborhood's quality of life and home values.
The off-shore wind energy from the East Anglian coast must be brought in, according to National Grid, the company behind the plans for the substation.
Liz Thomas, a resident of Friston, a town close to Leiston in Suffolk, has joined a group that is protesting the plans.
On Sunday, a special debate on the "energy coast" will be held on BBC Politics East.
Mrs. Thomas, a 12-year resident of the village, claimed that the National Grid plans could result in a cable trench directly in front of her home.
According to her, the plans have reduced the value of homes in the village.
Mrs. Thomas, a member of Suffolk Energy Actions Solutions (SEAS), a group that is fighting the proposals, said, "I have close neighbors who live down the road from me.".
They needed to reduce the price of their home by £75,000 in order to move, and this was due directly to the development that will take place in the village.
"They received advice from a real estate agent that the plans for the substation were a deciding factor. ".
A similar offshore electricity grid to the one run by Belgium should be built, according to SEAS participant Fiona Gilmore.
The National Grid, according to her, shouldn't be "desecrating unspoiled countryside" at Friston to provide "power needed in London.".
East Anglia is slated for a massive expansion of wind power due to its shallow waters and sandbanks.
Separate from the proposed Friston substation, National Grid intends to construct a new, over-a hundred-mile-long pylon line through the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex under the . project.
Significant opposition has existed. The plans have received the wrath of all three county councils.
As polluting coal-fired power plants were shut down, the energy sector saw the most advancement.
Approximately 22.2% of our electricity in 1990 came from renewable or low-carbon sources. In 2022, that figure increased to 54%.
However, according to one of the top climate change research centers in the world at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, delays have made it more difficult to continue reducing the UK's carbon emissions.
Asher Minns, executive director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, said: "There is still everything to play for and it's not too late either, but we have to speed up work." This is true whether the cables are placed on land or transported to south Essex and London via an offshore route. ".
The surge in offshore wind also offers tremendous economic opportunities. particularly for pupils at East Coast College in Lowestoft, Suffolk.
I'm really excited for the future," said Bailey Woolston, a second-year Scottish Power apprentice who attends the college.
"There are numerous wind farms planned, and I would like to be involved in the development of the next one. ".
The East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) director and the director of the college's commercial training, Rachel Bunn, said: "These are very exciting times.
"In my 46 years of living here, I can honestly say that there have never been more opportunities for adults looking to retrain as well as for young people. ".
She claimed that every development involved a "balancing act" between the need for infrastructure and community concerns.
She said, "The energy sector works with the communities and gives back to the communities.
According to a National Grid spokesperson, the nation's electricity transmission network needs to be significantly strengthened in order to connect sizable amounts of wind and nuclear generation in order to achieve the government's net zero ambitions.
When considering any additional reinforcements, we consider a variety of options, and when necessary, we will also consider and evaluate offshore alternatives. .
"The UK government and our regulator Ofgem require us to develop proposals that represent value for money for consumers since the cost of all connections ultimately appears on the electricity bills of domestic and business consumers. ".
On Sunday, June 25 at 10:00 BST on BBC One and, Politics East will host a special discussion on creating the "energy coastline.". available on the BBC iPlayer following broadcast.
