Council leaders in Norfolk have "significant concerns" about plans for miles of pylons across the county's countryside - but are holding fire on whether they will officially object to the controversial proposals.
Norfolk County Council says it will not decide on its response to National Grid's consultation over the 114-mile-long Norwich to Tilbury line until next month.
While Suffolk County Council's cabinet is next week likely to recommend that the authority calls for a pause on the plans to consider other options, including taking the cables offshore, County Hall's response is further off.
The council's scrutiny committee will consider the issue next week and a final decision on the authority's response will be taken in June.
However, at last week’s full council meeting, councillors backed a motion expressing concerns over the proposals.
That motion called for Kay Mason Billig, leader of the Conservative-controlled council to write to National Grid with several requests, including further consideration of an offshore alternative and of putting more of the power line underground.
A spokesperson for Norfolk County Council said: “As was made clear at our council meeting last week, we believe there are significant concerns that National Grid has not sufficiently addressed alternative transmission options, including offshore and underground options, as part of their current proposals.
"We are currently assessing all the material accompanying this consultation by National Grid, with the matter being considered by a scrutiny committee next week.
"Our final submission to the consultation will be decided by councillors in an open and public meeting of the planning and highways delegations committee on Monday, June 10."
Energy company bosses say the power line from Norfolk to Essex is needed to allow electricity generated by North Sea wind farms to be used elsewhere in the country.
It says the scheme is a vital part of the UK's net zero ambitions and that using pylons rather than burying the cable underground will reduce the cost to energy bill payers.
But it has prompted controversy, with council leaders, MPs and the Pylons East Anglia campaign group unhappy National Grid is looking at an overland option, rather than transferring the power through offshore cables.
National Grid claims offshore cables would be too expensive.
Consultation runs until Tuesday, June 18 at nationalgrid.com/norwich-to-tilbury
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