NATIONAL GRID HINKLEY C -

CONNECTION PROJECT UPDATE

SEPTEMBER 2021

National Grid is anticipating some major project milestones over the next few months.

This month, the company is starting to erect T-pylons along the route from Bridgwater substation to the cable sealing end compound at Loxton, where the overhead line will join the underground cables being installed through the Mendip Hills.

This follows the completion of all the driven piling for this section of the route, and the anticipated completion of the remaining three foundations using mini-piling techniques.

“The T-pylon is the first new design for pylons in this country for almost a century,” said Senior Project Manager Steven Haskayne. “It has a single pole and T-shaped cross arms which hold the wires in a diamond ‘earring’ shape. It is around 35 metres high; about a third shorter than traditional 400,000 volt steel lattice pylons. It also has a smaller footprint and will use less land.”

Further north on the project, work continues to install the underground electricity cables beneath the Mendip Hills, from the cable sealing end compound at Loxton to Sandford.

In sensitive areas, such as road crossings and waterways, National Grid is using horizontal directional drilling (HDD) to push the ducts through the ground.

Meanwhile, National Grid contractor Babcock has started work to enable construction of a 4.5 km overhead power line north of Wick, which will connect Hinkley Point C and Shurton substation to the National Grid network, and the removal of a 2.3 km overhead line that runs to the Hinkley B power station.

Temporary traffic access points and haul roads, which will allow construction vehicles to reach the new pylon locations, are currently being built. It’s expected that pylon construction will start towards the end of the year.

You can find updates on the Hinkley Connection Project website www.hinkleyconnection.co.uk. If you have any queries, you can contact the Community Relations team by email at hinkleyconnection@nationalgrid.com or by calling 0800 377 7347.