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Nailsea to Tickenham
Current construction activity
Date from | Date to | Activity |
May 2021 | 2024 | |
| 2020 | 2024 | Removing existing pylons |
2018 | Ongoing | |
| 2018 | Ongoing | Access to public footpaths and rights of way |
Overview – Summer 2023
National Grid is moving into the final stage for completing the north section of the Hinkley Connection route between Sandford and Seabank substations.
The 68 T-pylon structures between Sandford substation and Portbury were completed, with the final diamond shaped insulators lifted into place on a pylon between Yatton and Kenn in July 2023.
The innovative T-pylons will soon join the new line of 27 lattice pylons erected between the River Avon and Seabank substation. The combined total of 95 new pylons will be energised by the end of 2024. Before then, the last section of conductors will be hung from the T-pylons between the west end of Nailsea and Tickenham.
Using the T-pylon design, reduces the height of the new infrastructure by a third. At 35 metres high they are shorter than National Grid's traditional lattice transmission pylons and take up far less room on the land.
To make way for the new connection route, we are removing 249 existing 132,000 volt lattice pylons and overhead wires stretching 67 kilometres from the Somerset landscape. 99 percent of the lattice pylons have now been removed, with the very last of the 249 pylons expected to be taken down by autumn 2023.
Reinstatement of the land along the connection route is underway and will continue through to 2025.
Thank you from everyone working on the project for your patience and understanding as we work to towards full completion of this project which will play such a key role in helping the UK meet its net zero ambitions by transmitting cleaner, homegrown, energy around the UK – enough to power 6 million homes and businesses.
Nailsea to Tickenham timeline
Completed late 2021
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
Mid 2021 to mid 2024
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.
Mid 2021 to mid 2024
Remove existing 132,000 volt overhead lines
What we're doing:
Removing approximately 9 km 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.