Our equipment and construction

The pylons we are using

The pylons we propose are, on average 28.5 metres tall, these are the smallest pylons available to us to carry the amount of power being generated. The 171 pylons will be spaced an average of 280m apart. They are less bulky and intrusive than the previous National Grid project.

Lattice pylon key features:

• Tried and tested technology that is seen in communities across the UK
• Designed to be seen through, helping to reduce visual effects
• Suitable for enclosed undulating landscapes as the hills would act as a backdrop, with less of the pylon seen above the skyline
• Capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions, such as high winds and ice formation on the conductors

They exist in flood plains across the country and we will ensure that we use appropriate construction methods in these sensitive areas.

Construction

Most of the equipment we would need, including the components for the connection, cranes to build the connection, and all the materials for temporary work (such as works compounds and access roads), would be transported on conventional lorries. We’d also need vans and cars to take workers to and from site and anticipate needing some larger vehicles to carry equipment.

It will take about two years to build and test the connection, with additional time to reinstate the land and restore it to its previous use. At any one time, there are likely to be a number of working sections along the route.

Our work typically happens in phases. Each element of the project would be built following four main steps.

We would typically:

• Set up construction sites, by levelling the land and installing works compounds and access roads from a number of public roads
• Build the connection
• Test all the equipment ensuring it’s constructed correctly before making it live at high voltage
• Clear and re-instate the land, and look to carry out additional planting to screen equipment where required

Project Boundaries

When we submit our application for consent, we will need to include all of the areas of land we require.

This will include permanent infrastructure, such as pylons. It will also include temporary work such as access roads, works compounds and construction sites around our infrastructure. This means not all the land include in our applications will have permanent infrastructure on it.