March 2019 Area 3: East - Mendips. Hinkley Connection Project.

We are responsible for providing eabank safe, efficient and reliable energy networks across and Wales. ortishead We are building a new high-voltage electricity connection between Avonmouth and Seabank near Avonmouth to connect new sources Bristol of power in the area, including Hinkley Point C, EDF Energy’s new Nailsea nuclear power station in , to UK homes and businesses.

The new connection will be 57 km long – consisting of 48.5 km of overhead line and 8.5 km of underground cable through the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Weston-super-Mare hurchill To minimise the impact on the local landscape and make way for the andford new connection, we are removing over 67 km of existing overhead lines and pylons.

We will also build a new substation at Sandford and Shurton, modify the existing overhead lines at Hinkley Point and Seabank, extend Area 3 Seabank substation, and make some changes to the existing local electricity network owned by Western Power Distribution (WPD). Hinkley oint key This leaflet is one of a series of briefing sheets summarising the project. Existing overhead line New overhead The connection and associated infrastructure works will line take around eight years to build, including reinstatement and New underground replacement planting. cable Bridgwater Substation

Build and access temporary Build 400,000 volt overhead line construction compounds We are building a new overhead line Vegetation clearance, replacement We need to build two temporary entrances, northwards from the existing Hinkley planting and reinstatement haul roads and compounds off the A38 at to Melksham overhead line north of We will need to clear some trees and Tarnock, to allow construction traffic to enter to a new cable sealing end, hedgerows along the route of the new site from the local highway. just south of the Mendip Hills. We will use connection before we start construction. T-pylons in this area. One temporary compound, entrance and After the work has been completed in haul road will be built and used for the each area, we will carry out landscaping, Remove existing 132,000 volt replacement planting and reinstatement. construction of a new underground cable overhead line across the Mendip Hills AONB. We are removing WPD’s existing overhead We will replace any trees and hedgerows line from Bridgwater to Avonmouth. This will at a ratio of 4 to 1 and, wherever possible, The other temporary compound, entrance make way for, and minimise the visual impact we will replant in the same location. Where and haul road will be built and used for the of the new overhead line. this is not possible, we will plant at an construction of the new overhead line and agreed location nearby. removal of the existing overhead line in the area. We will also use planting to screen parts of the development and we have committed to extra planting within 3 km of the development, which will reduce the overall impact of the new connection and enhance local landscape and biodiversity.

[email protected] www.hinkleyconnection.co.uk 0800 377 7347 Freepost H POINT CONNECTION Area 3: East Huntspill – Mendips map

Background Mapping © Crown Copyright Ordnance Survey License No.100022488

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N.B. These maps are for indicative purposes only and are not to scale.

Activity 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 • Build and access temporary haul road and site compound for Mendips underground cable work • Build new overhead line • Remove existing overhead line • Landscaping, planting and reinstatement across the whole route

N.B. Dates may be subject to change.