SOMMERSET UK — According to the company, T-pylons form part of a suite of technologies and approaches to mitigate visual impact.

The company have announced that the construction of the first new-generation pylon of its kind, which was begun towards the end of September, has now been successfully finished. The installation is part of National Grid UK’s Hinkley Connection project, which upon completion should connect six million homes and businesses to low-carbon energy.

“It was fantastic to visit the site of the first T-pylon, the first new design for a pylon in nearly 100 years. Seeing the pylons first-hand really brought to the life the different look. It’s a great example of innovative new approaches in our role of managing the transmission network. The transition to net zero and rapid changes to the energy system in Great Britain means those new approaches are needed swiftly,” said Zac Richardson, Director of New Infrastructure.

“Our transmission system will form the backbone of net zero, delivering increasing amounts of renewable energy from the North Sea and East Coast, and supporting a nationwide rollout of charging points to support the transition to electric vehicles. It stretches across different communities and landscapes throughout Great Britain, so it’s only right we play our part in protecting and enhancing the natural environment,” he went on to say.

According to the company, T-pylons form part of a suite of technologies and approaches to mitigate visual impact, including alternative lattice pylon designs and different types of underground and subsea cable systems, with each approach chosen where it’s operationally possible and cost efficient for the consumer.

Another part of this movement is National Grid UK’s Smart Wires project, which  is introducing new technology at substations in the North of England to unlock extra capacity, which in turn should allow greater volumes of renewable power to be efficiently transferred to customers. And at our innovation centre on Deeside, we are working with SSE to trial using excess heat from power grid transformers to heat local homes and business.

Source: National Grid UK