Aquind: Government loses bid to block cross-Channel electricity cable

The UK government's determination to garbage support for a £1.2bn energy nexus betwixt England and France has been overturned successful the High Court.

Aquind Ltd wants to laic cables done Portsmouth, Hampshire, to Normandy.

Last year's determination to artifact the strategy was made by past Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.

Aquind challenged the determination successful the High Court aft being granted a judicial review.

In a statement, the authorities said it was "disappointed by the result but we volition beryllium considering the judgement cautiously earlier deciding adjacent steps".

The task is present expected to beryllium referred backmost to Mr Kwarteng's successor arsenic Business Secretary, Grant Shapps, to marque a last decision.

Aquind's connection has faced objections from residents, campaigners and section MPs, including Commons person and Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt.

Ms Mordaunt said: "The program volition ne'er happen. It is hard to ideate wherefore immoderate capitalist would privation to beryllium associated with it.

"I judge the government's determination was the close 1 and that it volition stand."

The section for business, vigor and concern strategy has been contacted for a response.

In his January 2022 ruling, Mr Kwarteng said helium was not satisfied that "more due alternatives to the projected route" had been afloat considered.

But lawyers for Aquind argued successful the High Court that Mr Kwarteng had "misunderstood the evidence" erstwhile making his decision.

Aquind manager Richard Glasspool said Mrs Justice Lieven's determination to regularisation against the concern caput and Portsmouth City Council was "wonderful news" for the interconnector project.

"We look guardant to re-engaging with section residents, stakeholders, biology experts, and vigor professionals successful bid to prosecute the committedness to gathering the UK's nett zero vigor target," helium added.

But Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said the court's determination "will beryllium a bitter stroke to Portsmouth people".

"Aquind's hopeless effort to re-run the statement done the High Court doesn't alteration the facts, and it shouldn't alteration the outcome," helium said.

"I've been wide from the outset that this task would bring untold disruption to our regular lives and earthy environment, with nary wide benefits."

The MP added helium would "continue to bash everything successful my powerfulness to guarantee this task is stopped erstwhile and for all".

Paula-Ann Savage, of the Stop Aquind run group, said she was "disappointed" with the court's decision.

But she added: "We volition proceed to rise consciousness of the dangers to the situation and our nationalist security.

"Aquind are not an due institution to transportation retired immoderate vigor infrastructure task successful the UK."

In October 2021, the BBC's Panorama programme revealed that Aquind is part-owned by Russian-born erstwhile lipid enforcement Victor Fedotov.

The institution has donated much than £700,000 to 34 Conservative MPs since the Aquind task began.

Aquind's co-owner, Ukrainian-born businessman Alexander Temerko, has donated a further £700,000 to the party.