UNITED KINGDOM – Two power transformers have been delivered for the National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) Braybrooke substation project.

Since early 2021, National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) has been building a new electricity substation near Braybrooke, on the outskirts of Market Harborough in Leicestershire.

Once complete, the new substation is expected to form a vital part of electrical infrastructure to support Network Rail’s electrification of the Midland Main Line, National Grid said in a press release.

Following months of hard work, the project has reached a major milestone, as the engineering team has taken delivery of two new transformers.

The transformers arrived during November and were delivered via an access road off Kettering Road built to ensure construction traffic avoids the areas of Market Harborough and Braybrooke. Weighing 100 tonnes, they will now be installed at the substation over the coming months.

Braybrooke Substation will take electricity from National Grid at 400 kV to a transformer which will then reduce the voltage to 25 kV. Network Rail will then take the electricity and distribute it up and down the railway line via a trackside feeder station to electric trains running between London St Pancras and Market Harborough.

Electrifying the line is expected to bring significant benefits for rail passengers and people living nearby – enabling faster, more efficient, quieter and cleaner trains to operate on the line.

“With the transformers now on site we are well on track for the new substation to be complete and operational by late next year,” said Luke Sewell, Project Engineer for National Grid said.

“We are pleased at the progress towards the next phase of electrification of the Midland Main Line,” said  Gavin Crook, principal program sponsor for Network Rail added. “This power connection is a key part of the network and will enable improved resilience for an electric operation providing a cleaner, greener service for our passengers.”

The National Grid project team is now focused on completing all the electrical works on-site and allowing the energization of the new substation by Winter 2022. 

Source: National Grid