The project aims to enhance the landscape in the stretch of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to the north of Devizes, as part of National Grid’s Visual Impact Provision (VIP) project* to reduce the visual impact of existing high voltage power lines in protected areas across England and Wales.
As transmission owner in England and Wales we’re pleased to be playing a key role in driving some of the initiatives and progress highlighted by the electricity system operator.
This work is only possible with the detailed engineering and network understanding – coupled with commercial insight from working with supply chains – of Britain’s transmission owners, so it’s good to see our collaboration with ESO giving early shape to reform of the connections process.
Last week, the London Power Tunnels team celebrated an important milestone, as our Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), Christine, left the Crayford site. This marks the end of a journey lasting more than four months. Travelling 2.5km from the Hurst site, the team navigated difficult terrain conditions caused by the chalk aquifer across the route.
The work saw the team repair tracks on the reserve and clear willow and other vegetation to maintain the 144-acre nature site that’s home to many bird species.
The team of volunteers were from the nearby National Grid Dinorwig to Pentir underground cable replacement project. National Grid has been carrying out this essential scheme since autumn 2021, replacing the electricity cables that connect Dinorwig Power Station at Llanberis to the national electricity network.
Within hours, David was packed up and en route to Turkey, part of a UN-approved disaster recovery team of 20, to carry out 'search and rescue' for victims of the once-in-a-century magnitude earthquake that hit both that country and Syria on 6 February. Here he shares his experiences and the realities of being part of a volunteer international search and rescue group, including on his most recent mission to Turkey.
The UK Government has set ambitious Net Zero targets. To meet them, we will have to reimagine our network and the way in which we deliver it. This involves planning for the massive growth in generation and demand - changing the way we manage connections, and changing the way we work.
The company has recently finished a trial using Boston Dynamics’ Spot® robot to help with routine asset maintenance and fault detection across its UK interconnector converter sites including North Sea Link in Blyth.
The Spot robot is the size of a Labrador and walks and moves like man’s best friend.
In November 2022, Onur Aydemir became the project director on National Grid’s London Power Tunnels (LPT) project. The vast £1 billion scheme is rewiring South London via deep underground tunnels, futureproofing London’s energy infrastructure and ensuring people remain connected to safe and reliable electricity supplies. With eight years’ experience working at National Grid, Onur is ideally placed to lead this significant infrastructure project.
Work to install the conductors - a process known as stringing - was started in January between the 27 newly built lattice towers that take the Hinkley Connection through Bristol Port land, over the River Avon, through Avonmouth and into Crooks Marsh to connect with Seabank substation.
To minimise disruption to local businesses in Avonmouth’s industrial area where the stringing was taking place, National Grid contractors Balfour Beatty adopted a new technique which uses a pulley system rather than installing scaffolding.