As we gear up for Net Zero by 2050, new energy innovations are popping up across the UK. For the past century, the UK has seen the same pylon design - until now!
After a competition ran by the Central Electricity Generating Board in 2011, the new design was selected to move away from the existing design of the 22,000 pylons spanning the country.
This major milestone comes as part of the National Grid's £900m Hinkley Connection project. It aims to deliver low carbon energy across the South West, including Somerset.
The brand-new 57km HV pylon line connects 6-million homes from a substation in Sandford. Part of this stage includes removing nearly 70km of overhead cables, 250 pylons and 8.5km of underground cables across the Mendip Area - which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The world's first T-pylons are more minimal than existing designs, with just a single pole and diamond-shaped protruding arms. It is 33% shorter than existing pylons and takes up less space on the ground.
National Grid's Project Director Steven Haskayne says, “This new design forms part of our significant investment in the network in England and Wales, adding capacity onto the grid to deliver low carbon electricity to millions of people across the UK to use for years to come, and helping the UK’s journey towards net zero.”