In pictures: Mendip Hills AONB
Installing underground cables through the area of oustanding natural beauty
As part of the Hinkley Connection Project, we are installing 8.5 km of 400,000 volt underground cables from our new cable sealing end (CSE) compound at Loxton, south of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), north towards the new Sandford substation.
The cable pull is over half way there and progressing well. “We’re delighted with progress and are really making the most of the better weather during the summer months, when the ground conditions are most favourable,” says Project Engineer, Robbie Griggs.
“There is a real buzz and momentum on the project – we’ve got the jointers and other teams on site now, running at around 15,000 man hours per month – and are well over 50% there in terms of the cable pull, having pulled 63,795m since we started in February.”
This photo gallery gives an insight into the complex engineering involved.
The 400kV cable drums are transported to site
The 400kV cable drum and laying operative for scale |
The cable is pulled directly from the specially designed trailer on site |
Cable-pulling operative at the controls |
Gantries at Loxton CSE compound where the overhead lines will join the underground cables under the Mendip Hills AONB |
Groundworks at Loxton CSE compound where the overhead lines will join the 400kV underground cable |
Cable sections are connected together in joint bays |
Connecting the cable sections must be done in a clean environment, so jointers tents are used |
Part of the undergrounding is achieved with Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) |
Part of the undergrounding is achieved with HDD, for example under roads, where ground conditions permit |
The HDD exit point is achieved with pin-point accuracy |
The HDD exit point is achieved with pin-point accuracy |
Ducts used for HDD |
