National Policy Statement EN-5

That this House acknowledges that to meet net-zero targets significant new electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure will be required; notes that the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published a revised National Policy Statement (NPS) EN-5 in November 2023, with the aim of setting policy guidance for the required new infrastructure; recognises that there is significant opposition to traditional pylon development for electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure; notes that many European countries are undergrounding new and old infrastructure which may maintain public support for net-zero targets; queries whether cable-ploughing technology offers a way to underground electricity cable infrastructure at a minimised cost and with reduced impact; calls for the removal of paragraph 2.9.20 from NPS EN-5 and a reversal of the Government’s position that overhead lines should be the strong starting presumption for electricity networks developments in general; calls on the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to commission an expert panel to investigate the different undergrounding technologies now available, such as cable ploughing, and to assess the costs and impact comparisons and the feasibility and viability comparisons of all alternative technologies, types and methods available for conveying electricity for transmission and distribution; further calls on the Department to revise and formulate policy on pylons versus undergrounding for conveying electricity once the expert panel has reported and to re-issue guidance accordingly; and also calls on the Government to set aside Government time for a debate on electricity transmission and distribution policy.