Becky Morton
Political journalist
Getty images
People living near new pylons in Great Britain will obtain hundreds of books from their invoices, as part of government plans to stimulate energy infrastructure.
Households at less than 500 million new or improved pylons will receive discounts of up to £ 2,500 over 10 years, which is equivalent to £ 250 per year.
The government has said that such incitations could help reduce opposition and delays to new projects, which are necessary to provide cleaner energy.
However, rural campaign groups said it was “impossible to put a price on the loss of a landscape”.
Invoice discounts should be in place from 2026.
The idea is part of the government planning and infrastructure bill, which is expected to be published this week.
The legislation aims to accelerate the construction of new houses and infrastructure by reducing administrative formalities and simplifying the planning process, and the government has put changes at the heart of its thrust for economic growth.
In addition to disorderly invoices, the government will publish new advice on how developers should provide advantages to communities organizing transmission infrastructure, funding projects such as sports clubs, educational programs or leisure facilities.
The government said it would mean that communities could obtain £ 200,000 per km of air electricity cable in their region and £ 530,000 per sub-station.
The government also examines how communities close to Oshore wind farms and other energy infrastructure can receive advantages.
The plans were welcomed by Renewableuk, which represents the sector.
The group’s policy leader James Robottom said that Bill’s discounts “would help allow the deployment of a new very necessary infrastructure at a faster rate, so that we can make the most of the large quantities of clean power we produce.”
However, Jackie Copley, campaign manager at CPRE, the campaign charitable organization, said: “Investing in local green spaces or improving community infrastructure would be a better way to spend this money.
“Payment of individuals has many problems, including equity issues, probably legal challenges, and the fact that it is impossible to put a price on the loss of a landscape.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner, said: “It is no longer a question of knowing if we build the new infrastructure we need, but a question of how and it must be done in locking with local communities.
“The bill on planning and infrastructure of this government will reduce energy bills for local populations living near new projects, they therefore benefit from it while we are advancing in our mission to carry out a more prosperous and secure future energy for the next generation.”
The energy secretary, Ed Miliband, said that the plans “would also benefit the whole country by ensuring that we build the clean energy system we need”.
The idea of giving people living near new pylons on their energy bills was also proposed within the framework of the previous conservative government.
A government survey in 2024 suggested that 78% of people would find a more acceptable energy infrastructure project if they have been offered discounts on their invoices.
Some energy companies are already providing discounts on invoices to customers who live near infrastructure such as wind turbines, while subsidies are also available for affected local communities.
