National Grid, UK, has applied for development consent to the Planning Inspectorate for the Bramford to Twinstead Reinforcement, which is a proposed upgrade to the electricity transmission network between Bramford substation in Suffolk and Twinstead Tee in Essex.
According to the utility, the upgrade will contribute to delivering cleaner and greener electricity to homes and businesses and support the UK’s move to net zero by 2050.
National Grid says it has carried out extensive engagement and public consultation with local authorities, technical consultees, affected landowners, elected officials and the local community over the past few years.
Environmental assessments and technical work have also been conducted to develop final plans for the proposed reinforcement, which would involve the construction of a new 29 km 400 kV electricity transmission line using a combination of overhead line and underground cables.
The proposed plans include the construction of 18 km of new 400 kV overhead line and pylons; 11 km of new 400 kV underground cables; four cable sealing end compounds to connect overhead line and underground cable sections; the permanent removal of 25 km of existing 132 kV overhead line between Burstall Bridge and Twinstead Tee, and 2 km of existing 400 kV overhead line south of Twinstead Tee; as well as a new grid supply point substation at Butler’s Wood, among others.
The Planning Inspectorate has 28 days, until May 25, 2023, to decide whether to accept the application for development consent, after which a detailed and independent examination of the proposals will be conducted.
The final decision on whether to approve the application rests with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which is expected to be made after the examination in the next 15-18 months.
Construction is expected to begin in late 2024 and take approximately four years. The Bramford to Twinstead Reinforcement aims to address an existing constraint on the high voltage transmission network and enable the transfer of cleaner and greener energy from offshore wind, interconnectors, and nuclear generation to where it is needed.
“Our application submission marks a significant milestone for the Bramford to Twinstead Reinforcement, which remains an essential part of the UK’s transition towards a net zero future, by helping to connect renewable and low carbon energy to homes and businesses across the UK,” said James Greenhalgh, project director at National Grid.
