Cable link-ups hand French all the power

Not only will the proposed second electricity cable link to France produce no income, but this investment would continue to make us 100% dependent on a foreign country for this most basic and crucial commodity, electricity. We would continue to surrender our independence in power generation, and leave ourselves open to coercion and, yes, even blackmail. Committing to this project with no control whatsoever over the continuity of supply or pricing is political suicide.

You may have read in the French press that EDF has very little spare capacity owing to the decommissioning of older nuclear power stations. This could also affect future pricing policy, and the possibility of a terrorist attack on the French generation and distribution infrastructure, or a force majeure cannot be ruled out. We have no cards to play and we will never be able to negotiate the best terms for our people, as shown in the recent fishing deal with France. This deal was a disaster for our fishermen but had to be agreed... in order to smooth the way for a direct electricity link to Europe.

That is no way for Guernsey to conduct its affairs, and French president Macron has already alluded to his superior hand as the sole supplier of electricity to the island. He will weaponise that commodity whenever it suits him, starting with the next renegotiation of fishing rights.

We are living in an unstable world, and putting all our eggs in one basket (the French basket) carries unknown and incalculable risks. That same capital invested in blue power, using wave and tidal energy within our own territorial waters will give us total control over electricity generation – with an almost certain income stream by supplying Normandy and/or Jersey, using the existing electricity cable to Jersey and France. Such a project would also employ local labour and local companies, thus contributing to rebuilding our economy as we move out of lockdown. Any financial uncertainty can be mitigated through a public-private partnership, and there is no shortage of recorded private interests.

PHIL DUPRE

Editor’s footnote: Guernsey Electricity CEO Alan Bates replies:

The island has set out its energy transition plan in the Energy Policy, published last summer. Central to the policy is the aspiration to decarbonise the island’s use of energy and the security of our future electricity supply is essential to achieve this goal.

Two cable links will provide the island with a secure, sustainable and affordable supply of electricity. It will also, importantly, bring grid stability to support locally generated renewable energy and cover off the intermittency of these sources. A second cable will allow us to meet around 99% of Guernsey’s current and future electricity needs and will dramatically decarbonise our use of energy. The island’s current top-up of electricity demand without the second connection would remain the hydrocarbon power station, which does not fit with the intention to decarbonise our island.

There will always be supply chain risks for an island. To mitigate any interruption risk to the importation of electricity, such as network faults in France, there will always need to be a level of resilience on-island to back up electricity supplies. It is envisaged that in the future the power station, in this back-up role, will evolve into including more sustainable alternatives such as local renewable generation and storage. However, any alternative technology should only be adopted when it is commercially viable for Guernsey and it is affordable for our island and our community.

We firmly believe that having two cables to France, one direct and one through Jersey, is the best long-term solution for our island’s energy needs and provides for the future development of local renewable sustainable generation. On-island generation will remain an important cornerstone of our energy and security mix.