Hinkley Connection Project Presentation to Banwell Parish Council 16 March 2020 Michael Painter, National Grid Gillian Burnell, National Grid
Agenda 01 Who we are 02 Hinkley Connection Project 03 In your area 04 Timeline 05 Questions 06 Our approach 07 Keep informed National Grid 2
National Grid 3
02 Hinkley Connection Project We are connecting people to low carbon energy. We're building an electricity connection: pylons, cables and substations between Hinkley Point and Seabank power stations. It will also mean we have more capacity on our network for renewable energy from the South West peninsular. National Grid 4
Project overview • 57 kilometres length - 48.5 km of overhead line - 8.5 km of underground cable through the Mendip Hills AONB - Mostly T-pylon - Two substations • Removing 67 kilometres of WPD pylons National Grid 5
03 In your area Our work near Banwell includes: • Installing underground cables across the Mendips • New substation near Sandford • T-pylons from Sandford to Avonmouth Insert pics • Removing WPD’s pylons and overhead line • Reinstatement and landscaping National Grid 6
Larger/zoomable map available at: hinkleyconnection.co.uk/your-area/#sandford National Grid 7
New substation We’ve appointed Siemens to build a substation near Sandford: • Preparations included clearing the site in autumn to prevent animals and birds nesting in work areas • Balfour Beatty has nearly completed the temporary haul road from Towerhead to the site • Construction starts end of March 2020 and expected to be complete in early 2024 • First activities will be setting up site, installing staff welfare and office facilities National Grid 8
Installing underground cables Balfour Beatty is our contractor and work is progressing well: • Main construction started in March 2019 - road accesses (A38 and A368) completed • Tarnock site compound complete • Haul road north of A368 to substation site nearly complete • Trenching started - twelve underground cables in four trenches (three cables per trench) approximately 1.6m wide by 1.1m deep • Using ducts to protect soil structure, minimise impacts on wildlife and environment and protect our staff • Significant archaeology finds at Max Mill Lane National Grid 9
Building T- Pylons Balfour Beatty has been appointed to build the overhead line north to Avonmouth • Main construction starts in early 2021 and expected to be complete in 2024 • First activities will be building road access and temporary haul road • Currently carrying out ground investigation surveys where the pylons, temporary haul road and accesses will be built • Other preparations over the coming months: ecological mitigation and clearing some vegetation and hedgerows, as well as erecting stock fencing National Grid 10
Removing overhead lines When the new substation at Sandford is operational and supplying power to WPD’s network, we’ll remove WPD’s pylons from the AONB – leaving this area pylon free for the first time since the 1960s • Pylons will be dismantled and removed • Foundations will be left in place to minimise disruption to local environment Pic of WPD pylon • Expected completion by 2025 • Balfour Beatty will carry out this work • In 2022, we will build short connections to the existing 132,000 volt overhead line to Weston- super-Mare and to the substation at Churchill. This will take around 12 months National Grid 11
04 Timeline National Grid 12
Questions
05 Our approach – Traffic management • Work to build temporary road accesses and haul road off A368 is essentially complete • Building the haul road allows us to move traffic directly off A roads – limiting use of local road network. Insert pics • Traffic will be routed directly from M5 (junction 22) along A38 to A368 • All construction vehicles are clearly identified with project stickers/signage National Grid 14
05 Our approach - We want to be a good neighbour Creating opportunities to talk and meet with residents and businesses. Before construction begins in each area, we’re: • Providing updated project briefings to parish and town councils • Writing to residents and businesses with updates • Holding drop-in events • Promoting our 24/7 community helpline National Grid 15
05 Our approach - Care for the environment Our experts make sure habitats, plants and animals are protected: • Surveying work areas for protected species and avoiding important habitats. • Encouraging protected species to move or physically moving them if habitat cannot be avoided • Creating buffer zones to avoid disturbing nesting protected birds and installing barn owl boxes • In the Mendips we’ve installed bat flyways to retain linear features such as hedgerows which bats use to navigate National Grid 16
05 Our approach - Engineering positive futures Free STEM sessions for schools • KS1, KS2 & KS3 practical workshops Hinkley Connection Education Fund • Funding to support 131,018 pupils and 538 schools (inc. Banwell and Winscombe Primary Schools) • £354,000 awarded since 2018. Adult skills • 175 local unemployed people trained. 66 have secured employment. Community Grant Fund • Over £200,000 to 12 community projects to date • Includes Winscombe Cricket Club, Axbridge Town Hall and a community hall in Cheddar. National Grid 17
06 Keep informed We value your interest in the project Our dedicated community relations team is on hand to respond to queries and complaints. • By telephone 0800 377 7347 (24 hours) • Via the website www.hinkleyconnection.co.uk • By email hinkleyconnection@nationalgrid.co.uk • By post FREEPOST H POINT CONNECTION National Grid 18
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