‘Pylon wars’ show why big energy plans need locals on board

15 July 2025 · Updated: 22 July 2025

Interesting piece by Simone Adam, Professor in the Department of Anthropology, director of Durham Energy Institute, Durham University, for The Conversation:

My research on planning in the Home Counties (the areas surrounding London) back in the 1990s revealed a very determined population of well-educated and well-resourced people willing to spend significant amounts of time and money ensuring that the landscape met their expectations.

She adds:

Running pylons across Suffolk might be the cheapest route with least electrical loss, but is it the best option? What would the alternatives be? Starting the discussion from the basis of techno-economic modelling often preempts a properly balanced debate.

This isn’t an argument for or against big pylons. It’s a call for more democratic planning and not less.