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New Essential Infrastructure
IFA2 Connection
South West
Constructing an electricity substation to connect the new IFA2 interconnector to the national electricity network.
Project description
We are carrying out work at National Grid’s existing Chilling Lane site as part of a larger scheme to connect the electricity systems of the UK and France. Connecting the electricity systems provides diverse sources of electricity and helps to keep supplies secure and affordable.
The new substation at our Chilling Lane site will be connected to the converter station at Daedalus via underground cables, allowing the power from the interconnector via the converter station to be fed into the national transmission network.
Work at our Chilling Lane site is nearing completion, with only a few further touches required. We are soon to be entering the customer commissioning phase of the project, in which we will test and accept that the project connects the UK to France.
Subject to there being no further delay in the programme, site demobilisation will commence in early 2021 with the removal of the site cabins and the reseeding of the fields.
Work schedule
Making the Future – Achieving Net Zero by 2050 is our goal
The Chilling Lane substation will help to contribute towards National Grid’s Net Zero Target by providing the UK with access to a large volume of low CO2 energy from France.
Following the completion of the site we will be planting a number of new trees along the boundary with the neighbouring holiday park, helping to provide screening for residents as well as helping to absorb CO2 in the atmosphere.
Chilling site has also achieved a global first in being the only substation in the world to use screw rather than concrete piling, with the manufacture of the steel screw piles generating significantly less CO2 than the manufacture of concrete.
During the close down of the site, the team will also be re-using the type 3 aggregate used in the laydown area to resurface sections of Chilling Lane. This will significantly reduce the environmental impact that would be generated by disposing of the material.