A temporary road closure was lifted Monday, 17 October after National Grid completed overhead line refurbishment work in the Wiggenhall St. Germans area more than two weeks ahead of schedule. A section of Lynn Road from Thiefgate Lane to Mill Road was due to be closed until 3 November but engineers finished rewiring a section of the 400-kV high-voltage power line, which runs close to the road a fortnight earlier than expected.
National Grid project manager Simon Chandler said: “We would like to thank everyone for bearing with us. We are conscious that Lynn Road is the main route into King's Lynn from several outlying villages and we have been focusing on completing this section as quickly as possible.
“We will now be continuing the refurbishment on the remainder of the overhead line which is due to be completed in November. This is an essential project that will help to ensure that our electricity supply continues to serve us safely, reliably and efficiently for decades to come, securing our energy supply for future generations.”
National Grid started work in April on a £50 million project to rewire the 52-mi (84km) high-voltage line which runs between Norwich and Walpole. Engineers are renewing the conductors (wires) and fittings and carrying out strengthening work on some of the 224 pylons.
The 400-kV power line was built in the early 1960s and needs refurbishing. The work will enable National Grid to increase the capacity of the line and the network in East Anglia to secure future energy supplies. The project is being carried out by National Grid, leading an electricity alliance with Balfour Beatty.
