‘STRINGING’ has been completed for every pylon in a string from Hinkley Point C nuclear power station to a National Grid substation near Bristol.

It means all 116 pylons on the 35-mile line have been ‘strung’ with 12 overhead conductors, a major milestone for the project.

The project was started in 2018 and is due to be completed in 2025, connecting six million homes to low carbon electricity produced by Hinkley C’s two nuclear reactors.

National Grid has used newly-designed T-pylons for the majority of the connection, which carries 286 miles of power lines, enough to stretch from Bridgwater to Paris.

Nearly 1,300 tonnes of overhead conductor has been strung between the T-pylons, equivalent to the weight of three International Space Stations.

National Grid project director Steven Haskayne said: “With the T-pylons fully strung, our Hinkley Connection Project is really starting to take shape.

“It is a proud moment for all the teams involved, from our National Grid colleagues to our contractors, all of whom have helped us reach this milestone safely and on schedule.

“We are grateful to all of the local communities we have been working alongside for their patience as our project team continues its work, which is moving us closer to a resilient and secure low carbon energy supply for millions in the region.”

Balfour Beatty UK Power Transmission and Distribution managing director, Tony Wilson, said: “The efficient delivery of overhead power lines for the Hinkley Connect Project is a testament to our technical capabilities and reinforces our close partnership with National Grid to secure and deliver sustainable energy solutions.”

Thirty-six of the T-pylons have so far been energised with the remainder due to carry power by the end of 2024.

As part of the project, National Grid is also removing 249 existing pylons and 42m miles of overhead line from the Somerset landscape and leaving the Mendip Hills pylon-free for the first time in nearly a century.

Hinkley C’s first nuclear reactor was scheduled to begin generating power in June, 2027, but EDF has accepted the timetable was at risk of slipping to 2031.