LETTER:Underground volts

From Mr Denis Ash

Sir: David Ross (Letters, 20 July) needs to do his homework. Only a tiny proportion of failures of electricity supply arise from problems with the pylon-supported 132,000-volt system he wants to place underground, at enormous expense. The vast majority of interruptions of supply result from damage to the mainly wood-pole-supported, 11,000-volt system; and annoying as interruptions are, the cumulative average is well below 10 hours per annum.

If amenity pressure is to be brought to bear on regional electricity companies, it should be to put underground the very unsightly overhead low-voltage distribution systems that disfigure many of our beautiful small towns and villages.

Yours etc,

Denis Ash

Exeter

Devon

20 July