The National Grid has finished installing high voltage power cables under the Mendip Hills for the Hinkley Connection Project.

Engineers from the National Grid and Balfour Beatty began works to lay 102km of high voltage 400kV cables under the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in February last year. The existing pylons on the hills will also be removed in the process.

This is part of the wider Hinkley Connection Project which will see a new high voltage electricity connection between Bridgwater and Seabank, near Avonmouth for the EDF nuclear power station, Hinkley Point C.

As part of the pylon removal process, 12 cables had to be laid between Loxton and Sandford to reach the same electrical capability as the overhead lines - these are divided across four cable trenches, with three cables in each trench.

In the summer, existing infrastructure will be removed which will make the area pylon-free for the first time since the 1960s.

Project director for National Grid, James Goode, said: "Completion of the underground cables on the Mendip Hills is a huge milestone for the project, bringing us a step closer to bringing low carbon energy to 6 million homes and businesses across the UK.

"The project continues with construction of pylons - including the world’s first T-pylons - along the route between Hinkley Point C and Seabank substation, with completion due in 2025."

"We want to be a good neighbour and work with local charities and organisations like the Mendip Hills AONB Unit along the route of our project, supporting initiatives like Counting on Mendip and other projects. We were delighted to welcome the AONB Unit onto site to see the works at first hand."

Engineers have laid 102km of cabling so far, and will test the connection in the autumn. The Mendip cables section is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

Manager of the Mendip Hills Unit, Jim Hardcastle, said: "Placing the cables underground clearly requires complex engineering solutions but it also reinforces the importance of the AONB status.

"The status recognises the Mendip Hills as one of England’s finest landscapes and loved by many people. Organisations should go above and beyond the normal levels of delivery in such a special place like this."

To date, National Grid has awarded over £873,000 from its community grant fund to support 55 local projects in communities impacted by the route