National Grid Proposed 400kv overhead power lines

National Grid Proposed 400kv overhead powerlines.

I worked for National Grid (NG) as an Electrical/Instrument engineer on a number of construction projects all over the UK.

National Grid (the same company ) also owns thousands of miles of high pressure underground gas pipes that cross the countryside. These pipes are 18", 24", 30"and in some cases 36" and 48" diameter and most have been uprated to take 85bar (over 1200 psi )  they are buried with about 4ft min cover across fields and deeper near vulnerable locations.They are not visible and do not create an issue once they are buried. 

My last project for National Grid was part of a team that constructed over 50 miles of high pressure gas pipe from near Yeovil to near Plymouth for the new Gas fired PowerStation completed in 2008 . The cost was obviously very great ( well over one hundred million ).At the same time National Grid were also building another  large diameter pipeline  from near Ross on Wye to Milford Haven in Wales.I remember in Wales that although the project started well it was delayed for a long long time by local action groups until NG satisfied their concerns

The point about all of this is that if the GAS business side of National Grid is able to lay miles and miles of large high pressure pipes undergound and protect them from damage are we then saying that the electric side of NG doesn't have the technical/financial drive and know how to bury its cables away from residential and sensitive areas 

We all understand that it will be more expensive to route these large high voltage cables underground and someone from NG said that if there is a fault or damage they will have to dig it up to inspect it. Well that is what you do with a high pressure gas pipe.

To have these monster pylons located anywhere near residential properties around Nailsea, Tickenham, Backwell,or Wraxall is a real gastly prospect and there is no need for it to be so.

Tonicuk