Nailsea to Tickenham
Current construction activity
| Date from | Date to | Activity |
| May 2021 | 2024 | Building and energising new T-pylons |
| 2020 | 2024 | Removing existing pylons |
| 2018 | Ongoing | Roadworks and traffic management |
| 2018 | Ongoing | Access to public footpaths and rights of way |
Overview – Autumn 2024
National Grid is moving into the final stage for completing the northern section of the Hinkley Connection route between Sandford and Seabank substations, which passes to the west of Nailsea and the east of Tickenham village.
The main works currently in this area is the removal of construction accesses, temporary roads, and work areas built to construct the new overhead line. You may notice more construction traffic on local roads. We will keep you informed about any required traffic management updates in advance.
The construction of 68 new T-pylons between Sandford substation and Portbury, including the hanging of the conductors - or wires - is complete.
The T-pylons have been connected to the new line of 27 lattice pylons running from the Bristol Port area, across the River Avon and into Seabank substation in Avonmouth. Our teams will now test and prepare to commission and energise the new line between Sandford and Seabank, which is planned to take place in 2025.
Using the T-pylon design, reduces the height of the new electricity infrastructure by a third. At 35 metres high, the new T-pylons are shorter and take up far less room on the land than National Grid's traditional lattice transmission pylons.
To make way for the new 400,000 volt connection, National Grid has removed 249 lower voltage lattice pylons, and overhead wires stretching 67 kilometres from the Somerset landscape.
Thank you from everyone working on the project for your patience and understanding as we work to toward completion. This project will play a key role in helping the UK meet its net zero ambitions by transmitting cleaner, homegrown, energy around the UK – enough to power six million homes and businesses.
Nailsea to Tickenham timeline
Undergrounding the 132,000 volt overhead line between Nailsea and Portishead substation
This work has been completed.
Work carried out:
- Built 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.
- Built temporary construction compounds.
- Built an underground cable between Nailsea and Portishead substation.
- Built a pylon to connect the existing overhead line at Nailsea to the new underground cable.
The new underground cable section was built as a direct result of feedback received during our consultation. Now operational, it will enable us to completely remove the existing 132,000 volt overhead line between Nailsea and Portishead substation that currently runs very close to people’s properties
Build new 400,000 volt overhead line
What we're doing:
- In this area, to minimise disruption, we will be sharing temporary construction compounds and temporary entrances and access roads built for other elements of the build.
- Building a new overhead line from Sandford substation to Seabank substation (approximately 31.2 km).
- We will use T-pylons in this area.
Remove existing 132,000 volt overhead lines
What we're doing:
- Removing approximately 9km of existing overhead line between Nailsea and Portishead substation that currently runs very close to people’s properties. We are removing this as a direct result of feedback received during our consultation.
- Removing existing overhead line from the A368 in Sandford to Avonmouth, which will make way for, and minimise the visual impact of, the new connection.