A new consultation on plans to connect Cumbria's proposed nuclear power station to the electricity network have been announced by National Grid.

The company will hold 30 public events in Cumbria and Lancashire, starting in Rampside, Barrow, on Tuesday, November 1 to discuss the £2.8bn project.

At the sessions the firm will explain the technologies to be used to connect the grid to NuGen's planned development at Moorside, near Sellafield.

Robert Powell, north west coast connections project manager said: “We have been working on this project for six years now and, in that time, we’ve had thousands of conversations with communities and key groups. We have listened to their views and these have helped us shape our plans.

“This work has taken a long time but we feel that it is important for us to get the balance right between the cost of the project, which is ultimately passed on to bill payers and the desire to protect treasured landscapes.

“When we start consultation, we will show people exactly where in the landscape our pylons, underground cables and substations could sit.”

National Grid is due to apply to the Government next year for permission for the connection to be built. This means that the forthcoming consultation may be the last to cover the whole route.

Mr Powell added: “People’s views have played an important role in helping us refine our project and we are keen to hear their opinions on the plans we have now developed.

"The next step is for us to apply for consent for the connections to be built, so it is important that people make the most of what could be the final opportunity to have a say on the project as a whole.”

Consultation events take place at:

  • Tuesday 01 November, 2pm-8pm – Rampside, Barrow
  • Wednesday 02 November, 2pm- 8pm – Reading Rooms, Sellafield Road, Beckermet
  • Thursday 03 November, 2pm-8pm – Seascale Methodist Church, Gosforth Road, Seascale
  • Friday 04 November, 2pm – 8pm – Distington Community Hall, Church Road, Distington
  • Saturday 05 November, 10am-3.30pm – Lindal in Furness
  • Tuesday 08 November, 2pm-8pm – Askam-in-Furness
  • Wednesday 09 November, 2pm -8pm – Moresby Rugby Union Club, Walkmill Park, Moresby
  • Thursday 10 November, 2pm-8pm – Heysham
  • Friday 11 November, 2pm-8pm – Broughton in Furness
  • Saturday 12 November, 10am-3.30pm – Thwaites Village Hall, The Green, Millom
  • Tuesday 15 November, 2pm-8pm – Helena Thompson Museum, Park End Road, Workington
  • Wednesday 16 November, 2pm-8pm – Great Orton Village Hall, Great Orton
  • Thursday 17 November, 2pm-8pm - Silecroft Village Hall, Main Street, Silecroft
  • Friday 18 November, 2pm-8pm – Bootle Village Hall, Bootle Station
  • Saturday 19 November, 10am-3.30pm – Roosecote, Barrow
  • Tuesday 22 November, 2pm-8pm – Aspatria Rugby Club, Station Road, Aspatria
  • Wednesday 23 November, 2pm-8pm – Muncaster Parish Hall, Main Street, Ravenglass
  • Thursday 24 November, 2pm-8pm – Heysham
  • Friday 25 November, 2pm-8pm – Newton-in-Furness
  • Saturday 26 November, 10am-3.30pm – Grizebeck
  • Tuesday 29 November, 2pm-8pm – Egremont Market Hall, Market Street, Egremont
  • Wednesday 30 November, 2pm-8pm – The Rockcliffe Centre, Rockcliffe
  • Thursday 01 December, 2pm-8pm – Seaton Village Hall (Welfare Hall), Welfare Lane (off Causeway Road), Seaton
  • Friday 02 December, 2pm-8pm – The Market Hall, Church Street, Wigton
  • Saturday 03 December, 10am-3.30pm – Kirkby-in-Furness
  • Tuesday 06 December, 2pm-8pm – NuGen's Moorside Information Centre, Civic Hall, Whitehaven
  • Wednesday 07 December, 2pm-8pm – Morton Community Centre, Wigton Road, Carlisle
  • Thursday 08 December, 2pm-8pm – Millom Network Centre, Salthouse Road, Millom
  • Friday 09 December, 2pm-8pm – Drigg & Carleton Parish Hall, Drigg Holmrook
  • Saturday 10 December, 10am-3.30pm – Natland