The polecat had become trapped overnight in a tower foundation excavation site. This left the creature exposed to the elements and at risk from other predators. Fortunately, the team at Babcock discovered the polecat, which was in poor condition and in need of medical attention.
Now live, the cables form part of Western Power Distribution’s (WPD) local distribution network serving the southwest.
The 10.5 kilometres of cables directly replaces the 9 kilometres of overhead lines and pylons that are being removed between Nailsea and Portishead, including those close to homes and gardens on the western edge of Nailsea. Pylons have already been removed on land owned by Nailsea Rugby Club.
SSE Energy Solutions and National Grid have today unveiled an innovative new project that could decarbonise heat networks, capturing waste heat from electricity transformers to generate hot water and space heating for homes and businesses.
Construction plays a huge part in what we do. Building and reinforcing the network is essential to provide an infrastructure that can deliver the energy we’ll need for decades to come.
The goal of our Net Zero Construction project is to ensure that these activities are carbon neutral by 2025/26. To achieve this, we’re looking to reduce or offset all the carbon we use or generate in our construction projects.
National Grid is installing 8.5 km of 400,000-volt underground cables from the new cable sealing end (CSE) compound at Loxton, south of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, north towards a new substation at Sandford.
National Grid’s Hinkley Connection Project will bring low carbon energy from Hinkley Point C to six million UK homes and businesses and will also allow for more capacity on the network for renewable energy from the South West peninsular.
The transformer was built in South Korea and sailed to Portbury Docks before transferring to Dunball Wharf. Because of the size and weight of the transformer, National Grid employed a specialist transport company that liaised closely with North Somerset Council, Highways England and Avon and Somerset Police to agree the route that should be used to access the site.
The energy industry needs to fill 400,000 roles by 2050 if the UK is to reach its net zero target.
Following a difficult year that has disproportionately affected young people across the UK, National Grid is continuing to help address critical skills shortages and engage youth through its partnership with MyKindaFuture.
Dorset school children have had their eyes opened to a career in engineering through a series of interactive workshops organised by National Grid that are aimed at sparking a passion in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.
Local students were recently given the chance to learn more about electricity generation as part of an educational programme designed to bring engineering life.
Taking part were a mix of pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 from local schools including:
The North Wessex Downs VIP project is looking to replace a 4km section of overhead electricity transmission line to the North of Devizes with an underground connection. Up to 13 pylons would be permanently removed from the landscape.
Scroll through the photo gallery below to see what the landscape looks like now (2021), and what it will look like in three or four years.