Seas and Oceans: Electric Cables

(asked on 26th February 2015) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many licences have been granted by the Marine Management Organisation for the laying of cables on the seabed involving the SCAR plough system and other similar technologies; and to whom each of those licences has been granted.


Answered by
George Eustice Portrait
George Eustice
This question was answered on 5th March 2015

The MMO grants marine licences for the laying of cables on the seabed following assessment of the proposed activity including installation method. It is up to the individual developer to propose which methodology they intend to employ for cable installation. To date, the MMO has not issued any marine licences where the applicant has stated that the SCAR system would be deployed although since 2011, 11 licences have been granted to wind farm developers, electricity and telecoms companies who have proposed to use plough, trenching and jetting installation methods.

The SCAR system has been used for boulder clearance at one project prior to cable laying activities commencing.

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