autumn 06 GridThe magazineline for National Grid grantors Major league National Grid’s 20,000 grantors come in all shapes and sizes. This issue, on pages 14, 15, 16 and 17, we highlight four of the big boys — British Waterways, the Forestry Commission, the Ministry of Defence and the National Trust. Just grand… a barge owner enjoys the tranquility of the Grand Union Canal between Lady Capel’s lock and Iron Picture: British Waterways photolibrary Bridge lock near Watford 10&11 6&7 18&19 22&23 24&25 Joe Boucher, who has line Contacts been appointed to the line new role of National Grid Land and development landowners needed to install, landowners who have our gas Grid’s land and Grid group operate and maintain National and electricity equipment development operations manager, has more than Is responsible for acquiring all Grid's electricity and gas installed on their land. Listed 30 years’ experience in rights and permissions from transmission networks. We below are your local land and the electricity industry statutory authorities and act as the main interface for development team contacts. North and North West: East Midlands Wayleave payments 0113 2908224/8235 Robin O’Brien 07836 293137 • For information on wayleave South East: 01268 642028 Simon Booth 07786 021088 payments telephone the South West: 01454 222044 West Midlands payments helpline on 0800 389 Paul Ganley 07836 549748 5113. Your wayleave teams and their Lee Durant 07776 121429 mobile numbers East Anglia Emergencies North East Barry Cullimore 07836 217478 • Emergency calls to report electricity Wilson Holmes 07836 543539 Sue Dunham 07766 785684 pylon damage to National Grid Scott Stephenson 07836 South East (North London) can be made on 0800 404090. 543541 Brian Mead 07836 217520 Make a note of the tower’s Lines of support North West Phil Burgess 07836 222051 number — found just below the Mark Thomas 07887 825073 South East (South London) property plate — to help crews NATIONAL GRID’S Land and — will be headed by Joe working first as a craftsman and Martin Bretherton 07786 Paul Sage 07836 638823 locate it. Development Group has been Boucher. Joe is new to Land later as an engineer installing 021086 Alison Williams 07788 568678 reorganised to help it meet and Development but has wide new technology equipment for North East (South) South Wales Electric and magnetic fields important new challenges over experience of the electricity substation control and telephony. Mike Rockett 07836 364634 Simon Gronow 07836 207262 • For information on electric the next five years. industry over the past 30 years. Since 1992, he has worked Janet Clarke 07770 645599 Robert Miller 07836 743236 and magnetic fields, ring the The company plans to The Operations team will as a substation field engineer, North West (South) South West EMF information line 08457 renew much of the electricity mainly support the delivery of business services officer in the Alan Whitmore 07836 629530 Richard Biggs 07785 716961 023270 (local call rate). Bob Tute 07836 668504 Jane Bishop 07771 864528 Website: www.emfs.info transmission system across the overhead line maintenance, the North West Area, team leader country — and the Land and capital investment plan and at Bishops Wood substation Development Group will have a future major gas pipeline and and maintenance services vital role to play in this project. plant projects. It will comprise delivery manager during a Two teams have been four multidisciplinary regional major reorganisation of formed. Hector Pearson, delivery teams — North West substations. His last role was as formerly the Group’s land and England and Scotland, the delivery manager in North development East, South West and South Wales and Merseyside manager, has East — covering electricity and substations group. been appointed gas activities, each team led by Married to Nicky — the land and a regional delivery manager. couple have a daughter and development “My new role is a big son — Joe is an enthusiastic stakeholder and change. But I have a lot of skier who gives up a week of policy manager. experience in the electricity his annual leave each year to Hector He and his industry and I am really looking help disabled people to ski with Pearson team will work forward to the challenges adapted equipment. He works at national level ahead,” said Joe. with Disability Snowsport UK Raising the roof… the first roof has been added to National Grid’s £355 million expansion project at with the National Farmers’ Joe left school at 16 in and with Nicky raised £500 for its liquefied Natural Gas terminal on the Isle of Grain, Kent Union and the Country Land 1976 and became a craft it when they took part in the and Business Association, as apprentice in the electrical latest Great North Run, a sum well as national and local maintenance department at matched by National Grid. The Gas Distribution (UKD) Fax 01452 316092 Tel 01452 316049 government. Chadderton Power Station in company also recently honoured John Cunnington Mobile 07976 259211 Mobile 07785 290457 Senior land and development Fax 01452 316092 The other team — Land Oldham. In 1982, he moved to Joe’s efforts for the charity with gas officer North West and Development Operations Grid Control in Manchester, a special award of £500. Tel 0113 2908236 Charles Miller Administration Fax 0113 2908530 Land and development officer Sue Makin Mobile 07836 364633 Tel 0161 7760706 Tel 0191 2163519 Book winners are simply tree-mendous Fax 0161 7760601 Fax 0191 2163484 North London Mobile 0797 6510120 Congratulations to 40 grantors who have won as prizes — but so many of you entered, we and East of England free copies of The Tree Council’s new book have decided to give away an extra 15. Turn to Simon Dando West Midlands Trees in Your Ground. page 11 for our next competition. Land and development officer Barry Mercer Gas emergency In the last issue of Gridline, we asked ● Copies of Trees in Your Ground are available Tel 01452 316078 Land and Development Officer 0800 111999 readers to tell us what IVM stood for. The by sending a cheque for £8.99 (including answer is Integrated Vegetation Management. postage and packing) to The Tree Council, 71 To contact Gridline write to Papers Publishing, Stirling House, We originally offered 25 copies of the book Newcomen Street, London SE1 1YT. 2 College Road, Cheltenham GL53 7HY or email [email protected] 3 line line Industrial fire brings Grid Grid down power lines A 70-strong team of National said overhead lines manager Grid engineers and contractors Andrew Walters. “We advised had to be called in to deal with the fire crews to steer clear of the aftermath of a serious fire the conductors on the ground. that brought high voltage power “Although both circuits had lines crashing to earth. tripped, the conductors were The incident — which could not earthed so we had to treat have endangered lives — cut off them as live. There was also the power to the village of Castle danger of other conductors Donington in Leicestershire, coming down. They carry 2.6 temporarily closed roads and tonnes of tension — their sheer caused major traffic congestion. weight and recoil could kill or The flames from 70,000 seriously injure.” wooden pallets ablaze at an industrial estate shot 70 feet into the air and burnt through 275kV and 400kV overhead lines, bringing down Protection project… Paul Capp, right, and Balfour Beatty Power Networks project engineer Edward Knight on site near the Regent’s Canal an REC 11kV line. This briefly A £600,000 CABLE protection cut power to the project undertaken by National village and Grid in the heart of London had added to the some important local residents to dangers faced consider — animals at London by 150 Zoo. Animal magic firefighters. The work was designed to The fire reduce the potential for an oil leak provide additional system security “With the increased electrical main road and across part of highlighted the and associated environmental following the development and flows, these cables have become Regent’s Park,” said Paul. need for impact on London’s Regent’s commissioning of the new St of increased strategic importance Every effort was taken to grantors to take Canal and adjoining land. John’s Wood substation, the in providing London with a secure minimise disruption. Wayleave particular care The blaze started in wooden pallets It took place just a stone’s largest substation in the country,” electricity supply. officer Brian Mead was involved in when operating throw from the zoo: “From the explained Paul. “It was vital we carry out work long-term negotiations with the near pylons and overhead lines. Tony and Andrew worked construction site, you could see to ensure any ground movement Royal Parks, and his colleague They should not store flammable through the night planning the boars running around,” said did not damage the cable sheath Dave Brittain liaised with the Royal substances near the tower or recovery operation and next day, project manager Paul Capp, and cause an oil leak — the risk Parks during the construction underneath the line — the overhead line project delivery National Grid occupiers duties FACTFILE to the environment as a result works, and kept British pallets had been stacked next to manager Peter Bryant led the manager. “Inevitably, the of a leak would be Waterways, Westminster Council • The former Central Electricity the tower and the intensity of the team of engineers and Balfour project had a noise impact, particularly significant as and members of the public Generating Board installed 400kV under- fire caused the lines to break. Beatty contractors. but we liaised very closely one of the cable circuits informed about the work.