Sandford

Current construction activity

Date from	Date to	Activity
2020	2024	Removing existing pylons
July 2021	2023	Connecting Weston-super-Mare to Sandford substation
June 2021	Ongoing	Access to public footpaths and rights of way
May 2021	2024	Building new T-pylons
April 2020	2023	Sandford substation
2018	Ongoing	Roadworks and traffic management

Overview – Summer 2023

Located in the centre of the new Hinkley connection route, the new 400,000 volt substation at Sandford is now energised.

The new substation has been constructed as part of the £900 million Hinkley Connection Project, a new 57 kilometre high-voltage electricity line that will connect six million homes and businesses to new sources of home grown, low carbon energy and help the UK to meet its net zero by 2050 target.

High-voltage electricity is now passing through the new substation, and the connecting T-pylons and 8.5 kilometres of underground cables through the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

In the same area, 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. We’ll complete hanging the wires between the T-pylons early in 2024, ahead of their energisation at the end of the same year.

The work to modify and connect the existing 132,000 volt line from Weston-super-Mare to the new substation is complete. This work reinforces 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.

Strawberry Line

We are preparing for the opening of a new and safer Strawberry Line path. Our teams are in the final stages of the legal process whereby National Grid hands the path over to North Somerset Council permanently. Once this has taken place, the Council will make an announcement of when this new section will be open.

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.

Take a look at our detailed map

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.

Early 2021 to mid 2024

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 existing 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.