Changes to the energy network: in partnership with WPD

As part of the Hinkley Connection Project, a number of changes will be made to the local electricity distribution network, which is owned and maintained by Western Power Distribution (WPD).

  


Maintaining local electricity supplies

To make way for the new connection, and to minimise the impact on the local landscape, 67.6 km of existing 132,000 volt overhead line between Bridgwater and Avonmouth will be removed.
 

To maintain electricity supplies to Weston-super-Mare and Churchill substation following the removal of this line, a new 400,000/132,000 volt substation will be built in Sandford. This new substation will be connected to the existing overhead line going to Weston-super-Mare by a new 2.3 km 132,000 volt overhead line and to Churchill substation by a new 285m 132,000 volt overhead line.

In addition, modifications will be made to WPD’s existing 132,000 volt substations at Churchill, Portishead, Avonmouth and Seabank. Churchill substation will also be connected to an existing 132,000 volt overhead line that currently passes very close to the east of the substation.
 

Making way for the new connection

At times, the route of our new 400,000 volt overhead line crosses a number of existing 132,000, 33,000 and 11,000 volt overhead lines owned by WPD. Small sections of WPD’s network will be buried at these locations.
 

Minimising the impact on the local community

As a direct result of feedback, we are undergrounding 9 km of the 132,000 volt overhead line between Nailsea and Portishead substation.

See our interactive map for further information.
 

Changes to the high-voltage electricity transmission network

We own and maintain the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales. As part of this project, we will be making a number of changes to our network, including:

  • upgrading the existing overhead line, which goes from the Hinkley Point area to Bridgwater substation, from 275,000 volts to 400,000 volts (this was not included in our Development Consent Order)

  • making some modifications to our 400,000 volt substations at Taunton and Melksham (this was not included in our Development Consent Order)

  • building a new 400,000 volt substation at Hinkley Point C power station (this was included in EDF Energy’s Development Consent Order, which was approved in March 2013).