By rosebell
With the aim of excavating the National Grid tunnel that is due to carry 400kV electricity cables to replace the existing 3km overhead line across the Dwyryd Estuary, 27 TBMs will be delivered to the site compound in Minffordd during the next three weeks.
While the VIP project in Eryri National Park includes constructing two new tunnel head houses, which is going to provide access to the tunnel, along with a sealing end compound to link the underground cables with the remaining overhead line, it intends to decrease the visual impact of the overhead electricity line across the Dwyryd Estuary from Minffordd to Llandecwyn.
The scheduled date for commencing the tunneling process is early next year and be completed in mid-2026,and this machine will measure 166m long and weigh 436 tonnes once assembled. Also the 2029 is determined time for removal of the pylons and overhead line.
In order to planning the route and timings to minimise disruption to local people and traffic where possible, National Grid and its contractor Hochtief UK have worked with the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent, Welsh government, North Wales Police, local authorities and a specialist haulage contractor, Fracht Group UK.
Transporting of the Herrenknecht TBM from Germany to Immingham Docks in north-east Lincolnshire was done b sea, whereas from there it is being taken by road to North Wales. Of the 27 deliveries, 21 will be Abnormal Indivisible Load (AIL) movements, with eight loads requiring a full police escort and 13 loads requiring partial police escort. The other six deliveries will be normal HGVs which do not require any police escort.
The daily number of deliveries during the delivery period, will be between one and four.
As one of five in England and Wales, the Eryri VIP project includes the Dorset National Landscape and Peak District National Park which have been completed, the North Wessex Downs National Landscape which started work this year, and a potential project in the Cotswolds National Landscape which is in planning.
