Written questions

Electric Cables

Commons · Question 118015 · Tabled 4 Mar 2026 · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero · Official record

Answered 9 Mar 2026

Question

Asked by Ann Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the costs of (a) undergrounding electricity transmission infrastructure and (b) developing overhead transmission lines.

Answer

Answered by Michael Shanks, 9 Mar 2026

Evidence published by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (April 2025) shows that the lifetime cost of underground transmission cables is around four and a half times higher than overhead lines. As costs are borne by the electricity bill payer, ...