National Grid Reroutes UK-Ireland Power Cable to Preserve 'Dobby's Grave' Site

National Grid has confirmed a diversion of the £1 billion Greenlink power interconnector, connecting the UK and Ireland, following public outcry over its proximity to a site widely recognised as the grave of 'Dobby' from the Harry Potter series.

The location on Freshwater West beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales, features a small, unofficial memorial to the fictional house-elf. A project manager's prior remarks, suggesting the subsea cables would run beneath the memorial, prompted significant public concern and a petition attracting thousands of signatures.

Campaigners argued that disturbing the site would desecrate a beloved cultural landmark. National Grid stated that the revised route will now avoid the area entirely, acknowledging the 'passion' surrounding the memorial. The 190km interconnector, intended to transmit 500MW of electricity, is a crucial infrastructure project. Its landfall point at Freshwater West beach remains, but the revised trajectory seeks to mitigate public opposition to the cultural sensitivity of the memorial site.