Pirelli progress on National Grid project

A major contract for Pirelli Cables with the National Grid has completed a significant milestone with the installation of the final section of the 5.7km route of 400kV cable between Nunthorpe and Newby, which forms part of the North Yorkshire Line.

The underground cable is part of the Lackenby, Picton and Shipton transmission link to reinforce the North East Grid system.

The Nunthorpe to Newby 400kV cable is one of the largest cable installations ever carried out on the grounds of environmental mitigation and is intended to preserve the views of the Cleveland Hills and the local landmark of Roseberry Topping.

Ivor Ellis, Pirelli Project Manager said: ‘’This is a prestigious project where a prime motivation was to protect the environment. We have directionally drilled eighteen ducts under a woodland with a stream running through to save felling a large number of trees and disturbing the stream.

“We have also directional drilled 18 ducts under a minor B road, auger bored 16 ducts under a bridle path and a further 16 ducts under a main A road running into Middlesborough using laser guided auger boring to save excavating the roads with the subsequent traffic delays.’’

Directional drilling (or ‘no-dig technology’) is a technique used to pass under obstacles which are in the direct line of the cable route. Two types of directional drilling were used on the project; horizontal drilling where the drill head is guided by radio control and also laser guided auger boring where greater accuracy was required.

Construction works will continue to the end of the year with the joining of the 400kV cables and the completion of the two Sealing End Compounds at Nunthorpe and Newby. Reinstatement of the topsoil on some sections of the route has already been completed and the land returned to agricultural use.