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Sandford
Current construction activity
Date from | Date to | Activity |
October 2021 | Summer 2022 | |
July 2021 | Late 2023 | |
June 2021 | Late 2024 | |
May 2021 | 2024 | |
April 2020 | Late 2023 | |
2018 | Ongoing |
Overview – Autumn 2022
We started work to build the new substation near Sandford with our contractor, Siemens, in April 2020.
We’re progressing works to energise the substation, meaning electricity will pass through the new T-pylons for the first time from Sandford to Bridgwater. This is planned to be complete by late 2022, with the substation being fully energised by late 2023.
Located in the centre of the new Hinkley connection route, the substation will connect low carbon energy from Hinkley Point C, and will reinforce the security of the electricity network in the South West following the removal of 67 kilometres of 132,000 volt overhead wires and 249 pylons in total from the Somerset landscape.
The work to modify the existing 132,000 volt line from Weston-super-Mare is complete. The nine new lattice pylons and short section of underground cable are connected to Sandford substation, ready for energisation in 2023.
In July 2022, we started building the remaining overhead connection from Sandford to Seabank, near Avonmouth. We’re building 68 new T-pylons for part of the route between Sandford and Portbury, and new traditional lattice pylons through Avonmouth into Seabank substation.
Thank you from everyone working on the project for your patience and understanding as we progress this vital work to connect six million homes and businesses to new sources of homegrown, low carbon energy.
Contact our community relations team to register for project updates direct to your inbox.
Sandford timeline
April 2020 to late 2023
Build Sandford substation
What we're doing:
Advance planting and landscaping.
Installing a temporary construction compound adjacent to the site of the new substation.
Building a new substation, just north of the A368, in order to maintain local electricity supplies in the area.
Early 2021 to mid 2023
Modifications to the existing 132,000 volt overhead line to Weston-super-Mare
What we're doing:
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 construction compound north of Sandford substation.
Building a new connection from Sandford substation to the existing overhead line that goes to Weston-super-Mare. It will be made up of 700m of underground cable and nine new lattice pylons. This is to ensure local electricity supplies are maintained.
Removing 1.5 km of the existing overhead line to Weston-super-Mare that runs north-west from Sandford near Puxton.
This work will be done by Western Power Distribution.
Early 2021 to mid 2025
Build a new 400,000 volt overhead line
What we're doing:
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.
Building a new overhead line from Sandford substation to Seabank substation (approximately 31.2 km).
We will use T-pylons in this area.
Early 2021 to mid 2025
Remove existing 132,000 volt overhead line
What we're doing:
Removing Western Power Distribution’s overhead line from the A368 in Sandford to Avonmouth.
Late 2021 to late 2023
Modifications to the existing 132,000 volt overhead line to Churchill
What we're doing:
Building a new overhead line using wooden poles (285m) from Sandford substation to the existing overhead line that goes to Churchill, to ensure local electricity supplies are maintained.
Removing approximately 550m of the existing overhead (lattice pylons) to the south Sandford substation.
This work will be done by Western Power Distribution.