National Grid has reached a milestone on its Hinkley Connection Project, with more than 27 miles (44 km) of new overhead powerlines now energized between Sandford and Seabank.

The switch on strengthens the southwest’s electricity infrastructure and enables more power to be moved across National Grid’s transmission network in England and Wales.

Once fully completed, the Hinkley Connection Project will bring sources of low-carbon energy to six million homes and businesses across the UK, including from the new Hinkley Point C power plant. 

This milestone marks the end of construction across the project’s northern section, and follows months of planned works between Melksham, Sandford Substation and Seabank.

The northern section includes 95 out of the project’s 146 pylons, including 68 new T-pylons between Towerhead and Crooks Marsh.  

The completion of the northern route builds on the earlier energization of the southern route in 2023 The project team will now focus on restoring land along the northern section of the route to pre-construction condition. 

With just 13 T-pylons now left to be energized, the next major phase of works will take place during planned outages at Huntspill, enabling additional sections of the route to be connected and brought into service, moving the project closer to full completion.