FOI requests reveal leaks beneath cities, residential areas, riverbeds and fields in ‘huge problem for environment’
Electricity companies are leaking millions of litres of oil underground throughout the UK, the Guardian can reveal.
In the past 15 years, 3m litres (660,000 gallons) of oil has been spilt under southern England from cables owned by the electricity distribution company UK Power Networks. But leaks are occurring UK-wide; the largest single leak reported in recent years was in Edinburgh, when 24,000 litres was spilt from a ScottishPower Energy Networks (SPEN) cable.
The oil is inside ageing electricity cables that were mainly installed in the 1950s to 1970s. It acts as an insulating fluid and helps to keep the cables cool, but as the cables age they leak increasingly.
One scientist who has researched the cables said the leaks presented a huge problem for the environment, while Greenpeace has described the findings as extremely concerning.
