Stringing completed between Bridgwater and Loxton
National Grid is celebrating the completion of a section of the world’s first T-pylons that will help carry low carbon energy from Hinkley Point C and other sources to six million homes and businesses.
On Monday 11 April, contractors Balfour Beatty finished building 48 of the new T-pylons and connected the wires along a section of the Hinkley Connection route between Bridgwater and Loxton. The completion of the T-pylons marks a major milestone ahead of their energisation in October 2022. The remaining 68 T-pylons will be built between Sandford and Portbury and completed by early 2024.
To reduce the visual impact of the new pylons, National Grid is removing a total of 249 existing pylons and 67 kilometres of existing overhead lines along the full route by 2025. This work began in October 2021 between Bridgwater and Sandford and the remaining 80 pylons in this section will be removed by summer 2022.
Pylons that have made their mark on the landscape for a generation will disappear, leaving a part of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) pylon-free for the first time since the 1960s.
The 116 T-pylons on the Hinkley Connection Project route are the first of their kind. They were designed to have less visual impact on the surrounding environment, with the height of the new infrastructure being reduced by a third compared to an equivalent lattice pylon (35 metres compared to 48 metres). The base of the T-pylons also requires less land, meaning that their footprint on the ground is significantly reduced.
I’d like to thank the communities we’ve been working closest to for their patience and understanding...
James Goode, Project Director for the Hinkley Connection Project, commented: “The completion of the 48 T-pylons on the southern section of the Hinkley Connection Route is a major milestone for the project and we’re proud to play our part in delivering this critical infrastructure.
“While we aim to keep the impact of our works on communities to a minimum, we appreciate that the work will have caused some disruption and inconvenience to local people and businesses. On behalf of everyone working on the project, I’d like to thank the communities we’ve been working closest to for their patience and understanding while we progress with this vital work to help the UK meet its net zero ambitions.”
National Grid has written to individuals and organisations within the local community to express its gratitude, as work continues to connect homes and businesses in the UK to low-carbon energy.
On Monday 14 March, ITV News West Country showcased the world’s first T-pylons reaching a new milestone.
Our dedicated community relations team is available 24/7 to answer questions from members of the public and help address their concerns. Residents and business owners can also register for project updates, which will be sent direct to their inbox.
