Because of an elf's grave: A half-billion dollar project recalculated its route
It is not every day that a fictional character alters real-world engineering plans, but that is exactly what happened with the 580-million-dollar Greenlink energy project. The cable route had to be adjusted to avoid the improvised memorial to Dobby from Harry Potter.
It is not every day that we hear about a fictional character changing complex engineering projects in the real world. However, this is exactly what happened with an energy project worth 580 million dollars, intended to connect the electricity grids of the UK and Ireland. The reason was not opposition from environmental organizations or local residents, but rather an improvised "grave" of a famous elf.
Dobby defeated the project
The elf at the center of the storm is Dobby, the beloved house-elf from the Harry Potter book and film series. As fans recall, in the film "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1", Dobby dies in Harry's arms. His moving burial scene was filmed at Freshwater West beach in Wales, and since the film hit theaters in 2010, this beach has become a place of pilgrimage. Fans have set up a monument at the site, consisting of many painted pebbles with dedications and tributes to the character.
The situation changed with the arrival of a massive engineering project called Greenlink, which includes a high-voltage cable 190 kilometers long, 160 kilometers of which are laid under the Irish Sea floor. The goal of the project was to transfer electricity produced from solar and wind energy between the countries, providing clean electricity to about 380,000 homes. The infrastructure company's original plan was to route the British connection of the cable directly onto the Welsh beach.
When the plans were published, a storm erupted. Simon Ludlam, who served as project manager for the consulting firm Etchea Energy, recently told a podcast that after the details were released, hundreds of angry calls were received from fans who discovered that the cable was expected to pass right through Dobby's "grave". Ludlam admitted that at first, he simply ignored the complaints, believing there was no reason to delay the project over a fictional character.
But his colleague insisted that this was a crisis requiring immediate attention. Following growing public pressure, the engineering team was ordered to examine alternatives and recalculate the route. Ultimately, a permit was received for an updated route that completely bypasses the memorial site. Now, after the completion of the work, the underwater cable is operating well – without disturbing the elf.
