Hinkley Connection Project – Surveys between Nailsea and Portishead Substation

National Grid is building a new 57km high voltage electricity connection between Bridgwater and Seabank near Avonmouth to link new sources of power in the area, including Hinkley Point C, EDF Energy’s new nuclear power station in Somerset, to UK homes and businesses.

As a result of consultation, and to mitigate the impact of new T-pylons being built in the area, National Grid is removing two existing lines of pylons between Nailsea and Portishead substation; replacing one with underground cable.

Starting in April through to June 2019, surveys will be carried out in a number of locations along the route of the underground cable. These will include searches for existing services as well as drilling and digging to assess ground conditions that will inform the detailed design of the cable installation.

National Grid has appointed J. Murphy & Sons Limited, to carry out this work. They will undertake the surveys at approximately every 50 metres along the route. Once the surveys are complete, they will reinstate the land.

Although most of these surveys will be carried out in fields, they also need to survey numerous roads in Nailsea, and sections of road where temporary accesses to the haul roads will be built later in the construction programme. The survey work will require the use of short-term temporary traffic lights to keep staff and road users safe. They will be removed as soon as the surveys are complete.

Surveys will also be undertaken in Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve. They will be carried out sensitively and monitored closely by North Somerset Council.

National Grid recognises that the work may affect people and businesses and will make every effort to minimise disruption and inconvenience.

You can find out more information on all stages of the project by visiting the Hinkley Connection website at www.hinkleyconnection.co.uk.