National Grid has today announced its preferred route corridor for a new 400,000 Volt power connection between Bridgwater and Seabank near Avonmouth.  The connection is needed to carry power from the proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point along with other renewable energy planned for the South West.

Over the next decade around a quarter of the UK’s major power stations are due to close.  New low carbon replacements need connecting to the national grid to ensure the country continues to receive a reliable electricity supply.

As the country builds a new generation of green power sources, National Grid’s role is to connect this power to the main electricity network.  These new green power sources are often located in places where there is no existing transmission infrastructure so new connections are needed.

The announcement follows two years of extensive consultation with the public and other interested groups.  After careful analysis of over 8000 responses we have chosen the corridor favoured by most people who expressed a preference between the options presented.  For the majority of the route we will use corridor 1 option 1A.

This option involves replacing the existing 132,000 Volt overhead line, owned by Western Power Distribution, between Bridgwater and Avonmouth, with the new 400,000 volt line.

However, in certain places corridor 2 was favoured:

• At the north end between Tickenham Ridge and Portishead
• At the south end between Horsey and Woolavington, near Bridgwater

Between the substations at Avonmouth and Seabank there is one route corridor, and we will continue to consult with residents in this area. 

Having announced the preferred route corridor, National Grid will continue to work with key stakeholders including local communities to carry out environmental surveys and to consider where undergrounding or other mitigating measures such as tree planting and landscaping may be suitable.

National Grid has recently revised its approach to routeing connections to place more emphasis on reducing the visual impact of transmission lines, an important issue with the public as was reflected in the consultation feedback. 

Further consultation will take place during 2012, and will include working with local communities, businesses, environmental bodies and other stakeholders. This stage will examine routeing options for the connection, the design and location of new substation and areas where sections of the line will need to be placed underground. 

National Grid senior project manager Peter Bryant said: “The views of the public continue to be important to us. We are grateful to all those who responded during the first stage of our consultation and have carefully considered the issues they raised.  These have been important in helping us make our decision.

“Now we have chosen our preferred corridor we need to look carefully at the type of technology we will use for the connection.  In their feedback many people told us they wanted the cables put underground and as we continue our consultation, we anticipate that the final plans will include some undergrounding as well as overhead lines. 

“We want to work with local communities and landowners to lessen the impact of any new infrastructure and we will consider areas where mitigation measures such as woodland planting, placing cables underground or the use of lower height pylons might be appropriate.  Further feedback during the next stage of consultation is important to us, and we hope people will continue to be involved.”
            
As part of the next stage of consultation, National Grid has relaunched its project website at: www.nationalgrid.com/hinkleyconnection.

As well as visiting the project website, people wishing to give us feedback on the project can email: hinkleyconnection@uk.ngrid.com, call freephone 0800 377 7347 or write to the freepost address at Freepost H POINT CONNECTION.

National Grid will eventually consult on a final draft proposal along with the outcome of an environmental assessment, before submitting a formal consent application to the Infrastructure Planning Commission or its successor.  We expect this application to be made in 2013.

Ends

For further information please contact Jane Taylor on 07785 220647 or Caroline Davidson on 07785 254696 or email: Hinkleymedia@communityrelations.co.uk

Two corridors - wide stretches of land in which the line could be built - were put forward for consultation:

Corridor 1: this option followed the existing 132,000 Volt overhead line, owned by Western Power Distribution, between Bridgwater and Seabank near Avonmouth.  This option had two alternatives.  Option 1A would see that existing line replaced with a new 400,000 Volt line.  Option 1B would involve building the new 400,000 Volt line built alongside the existing line.

Corridor 2:  this option would require an entirely new route running mainly to the east of the existing line between Bridgwater and the Mendip Hills with three different options between the Mendip Hills and Yatton, then running to the south and east of Nailsea. 

Detailed reports including the Need Case, Strategic Optioneering Report, Consultation Feedback Report, Route Corridor Study and the Selection of Preferred Connection Report, which explain how National Grid has reached its decision are available on the website, in local libraries and council offices.  Also available is our short report: Preferred Connection Option – An Overview, which summarises much of the information. 

The new project website includes an interactive map that allows residents to examine closely the route corridor and see what impact it might have on their area.  Visitors to the site are also asked to get involved with the project by registering their interest to receive regular updates on forthcoming consultation events and information about the project as plans progress. 

National Grid
National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks.  The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century.  National Grid holds a vital position at the centre of the energy system and we ‘join everything up’. 

In Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.  In the North Eastern US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles.

National Grid in the UK:

• We own the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, operating it across Great Britain
• We own and operates the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain
• Our gas distribution business delivers gas to 11 million homes and businesses
• We also own a number of related businesses including LNG importation, land remediation and metering
• National Grid manages the National Gas Emergency Service free phone line on behalf of the industry - 0800 111 999 (all calls are recorded and may be monitored).