- Back
- Connections
- Engineering Solutions
- Network and infrastructure
- Innovation
- Environment and net zero
- Who we are
- Contact us
Mendip Hills
Current construction activity
Date from | Date to | Activity |
October 2021 | Winter 2023 | |
May 2020 | Winter 2022 | |
May 2020 | Winter 2023 | |
April 2019 | 2024 | |
2018 | Ongoing |
Overview – Winter 2023
Work to instal 8.5 kilometres of 400,000 volt underground cables under the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is complete.
The cables are connected to the new line of T-pylons between Bridgwater and Loxton and ready for energisation. Reinstatement of the land along the cable route is underway and will be completed in 2024.
We’re pleased to be putting 8.5 kilometres of the Hinkley Connection route underground through this very special landscape of the Mendip Hills in response to community feedback received during consultation. By doing so, we are leaving this part of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty free of pylons for the first time in almost 100 years.
Thank you from everyone working on the project for your patience and understanding as we progress with this vital work to connect six million homes and businesses to new sources of homegrown, low carbon energy, and help the UK meet its net zero ambitions.
Mendip Hills timeline
Early 2019 to early 2024
Build Mendip Hills 400,000 volt underground cable
Work started in this area in April 2019.
What we're doing:
Advance landscaping and planting around the location of the new cable sealing end (CSE) compound.
Building temporary entrances and access roads to allow construction traffic to enter site from the local highway. You can find more information on our construction information page.
Installing a temporary site office and temporary construction compound north of Tarnock, and up to four secondary temporary construction compounds along the route to minimise traffic movements on site. One of these secondary compounds will be located immediately south of the new CSE compound.
Constructing a new CSE compound east of the M5 motorway to the south of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the River Axe.
Laying 8.5 km of 400,000 volt underground cables from the CSE compound south of the Mendip Hills AONB northwards to the new Sandford substation.
Mid 2021 to mid 2022
Remove existing 132,000 volt overhead line
What we're doing:
Removing existing overhead line from Bridgwater Substation to the A368 in Sandford. This will make way for, and minimise the visual impact of the new overhead line.