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National Grid will tonight (25 April) begin the latest phase of work on its newly constructed T-Pylons.
Consequently, drivers travelling in and around Somerset have been encouraged to allow extra time for their journeys as National Grid prepares to close several stretches of the M5 to install wires on a section of newly constructed T-Pylons.
The work is being undertaken as part of the £900 million Hinkley Connection Project – a new high-voltage transmission line between Bridgwater and Avonmouth – which last month saw the energisation of the first 36 T-Pylons between Bridgwater and Loxton.
The first of the closures will take place between 10pm and 5am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night this week (25-27 April) when the M5 will be shut between junctions and 19 and 21 in both directions to erect scaffolding over the motorway.
There will be similar overnight closures on Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 June to enable the removal of the scaffolding once the work is completed.
The slip road at junction 18a will additionally be closed in both directions between 10pm and 2am on the night of Friday 12 May to allow for the lowering and recovery of ropes used during the dismantling and removal of the existing 132kV wires in the area running between the Portishead and Avonmouth substations.
Aden Precious, project manager for overhead lines on the Hinkley Connection Project, said: “These closures are important to ensure the safety of all road users and our workers as we continue our work to construct this crucial, nationally significant low-carbon electricity infrastructure.
“We work closely with National Highways and local authorities to do all we can to minimise disruption and have planned these closures overnight when there is least traffic on the roads. We apologise for any inconvenience and longer journey times during these periods.”
National Grid is installing a total of 116 T-Pylons for the Hinkley Connection Project, which is due to be energised in 2024. It is also removing 249 existing pylons, of which 150 are already gone. The project began in 2018 and has also seen the installation of 8.5 kilometres of underground cables through the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Picture: The first T-Pylons to be energised between Bridgwater and Loxton.
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