As part of the Electricity Act 1989, National Grid has a duty to “have regard to the desirability of preserving natural beauty, of conserving flora, fauna and geological or physiographical features of special interest and of protecting sites, buildings and objects of architectural, historic or archaeological interest; and shall do what it reasonably can to mitigate any effect which the proposals would have on the natural beauty of the countryside or on such flora, fauna, features, sites, buildings or objects."
National Grid also has a statutory duty to maintain "an efficient, co-ordinated and economical" system of electricity transmission.
The options for major projects are therefore evaluated against these statutory duties. Balancing these sometimes conflicting requirements can be difficult. We consult with local interest groups and residents whenever we are planning works that will have a high impact on a residential area or a site valued for its amenity. This also helps us to identify key environmental issues which can be taken into account and more effectively mitigated.
How we meet our duties on electricity projects, including information on our commitments to consultation with stakeholders, is explained within our Schedule 9 Statement.