Huge fire at Sellindge substation in Kent. UK French electricty cable knocked out for up to 6 months

National Grids Sellindge convertor station fire

16th September 2021

UP TO 12 FIRE ENGINES WERE ONSITE AS THE FIRE RAGED THROUGH THE SUBSTATION 

A huge fire broke out at National Grid’s substation (energy hub) at Sellindge in Kent on Thursday.  The facility connects the UK & French electricty grids via subsea cables or ‘interconnectors’. The fire knocked out at least one of the interconnectors and it is expected repair works will take at least 6 months. The impacts are likely to affect the wholesale prices at a time when electricty prices have alerady significantly increased.News of the fire has angered local communties in Suffolk as Scottish Power & National Grid are proposing to build a similar facility at Grove Wood, north of Friston village.

Comment from SASES:
“National Grid Ventures only this week have launched public consulatiations for a similar faciltiy to be built at Grove Wood Friston, with a convertor station somewehere close by. Local people are vehemently against these industiral energy facilites being built in the Suffolk countryside. 

Communities have raised numerous concerns about the safety of these facilities. NG & Scottish Power say system failure and fires are not an issue at substations. The fire at Sellindge flies in the face of the assurances that substations and interconnectors are safe.

Who knows what checmicals and toxins were released into the local environment by this fire?
Why should residents who will be living a few hundred metres from the proposed substation facility at Grove Wood face added worry of an explosion or fire? “

Consultations for NGVs Nautilus Interconnetor will begin on 28th September for more information and dates of forthcoming public counsultations see NGV Nautilus News >>