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Information about pylons

REMOVAL OF PYLONS BETWEEN BRIDGWATER AND SANDFORD

We’re writing to let you know that we are starting work to remove 37 kilometres of existing pylons owned by Western Power Distribution (WPD) between Bridgwater and Sandford.
We’re carrying out the work in stages between October 2021 and summer 2022. First, we’ll remove the wires that run between the pylons. Where the wires cross over roads, we will erect scaffolding and use controlled lifting systems to lower and recover the wires. After we’ve done that, we’ll remove the pylons, then the foundations, and finally reinstate the land.
Taking down pylons is a much smaller piece of work than erecting new ones, involving fewer vehicles over a much shorter length of time. Our contractor Balfour Beatty will use the most appropriate traffic routes and WPD’s accesses to reach and remove each of the pylons along the route. The vehicles used for this work will display the attached identity signs so they can be easily recognised as working to remove the pylons.
We’ve written to communities along the route with the attached postcard, providing further information and a link through to our website hinkleyconnection.co.uk/traffic-management/ for locations and timings of roadworks associated with this work.
The removal of these pylons is part of the 67 kilometres of overhead line that we’ll have removed by the time the project is completed in 2025.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
With thanks and best wishes
Laura Griffin
Community Relations Team
National Grid Hinkley Connection Project
T: 0800 377 7347

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.

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