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NORTH BLYTH BIOMASS PROJECT THE PROPOSED NORTH BLYTH BIOMASS POWER STATION ORDER

APFP Regulation: 6(a)(i)

Document Title: Grid Connection Statement

Date: 5 March 2012

Author: Bond Pearce LLP

Document Number: 7.1

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Revision History Document Title: Grid Connection Statement

Revision Date Author

01 5 March 2012 Bond Pearce LLP

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Contents

1 Introduction

2 Executive Summary

3 The Nature of the Generating Station

4 The Connection

5 Installation and Construction Detail

6 Responsibility for Designing and Building the connection

7 Conclusions

Appendix 1 – Plan showing Connection

Appendix 2 – Plan showing cross section of trench

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1 Introduction

1.1 This Grid Connection Statement (Statement) accompanies an application for a Development Consent

Order (DCO) made by North Blyth Energy Limited (NBEL) for its proposal to construct a new biomass

fuelled generating station at Battleship Wharf, North Blyth, Northumberland (Generating Station). The

generating station will have an average gross electrical output of up to 99.9 megawatts (MWe). It will be

developed together with associated development, including 66kV cables (Connection) to connect the

generating station to the regional electricity distribution network operated by Northern Power Grid Limited

(NPG) (formally known as Northern Electricity Distribution Limited).

1.2 The Generating Station and associated development (including the Connection) are referred to as the

“Project”.

1.3 The Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) requires a number of documents to be submitted with an

application for a DCO under Section 55 of the Planning Act 2008 in accordance with Regulations.

Regulation 6 of the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations

2009 (APFP Regulations) requires a statement to indicate how the generating station will be connected

to the electricity distribution and transmission networks.

1.4 This Statement is accordingly being prepared in accordance with Regulation 6(1)(a)(i) with APFP

Regulations to inform the IPC and other interested parties of the Connection.

1.5 The distribution network operator in the area of North Blyth is NPG. NPG holds a distribution licence

issued pursuant to the Electricity Act 1989 (as amended).

2 Executive Summary

2.1 The Connection will emerge from the Generating Station site on its eastern side, to run towards North

Blyth Road (classified highway no. C403). It will then run in a north-westerly direction in the verge

alongside North Blyth Road before turning to run on an east-west trajectory along the C415 highway to a

point at the entrance to the former Blyth power station. The connection will then run south, then south-

east, followed by a small length running west to connect with NPG’s existing sub-station (or a new

replacement sub-station) on the former Blyth power station site. The location and route of the Connection

are shown on the plan provided as Appendix 1 to this Statement (drawing 02377D2213-01).

2.2 The new infrastructure required comprises:

2.2.1 Underground cables of approximately 1.7 km in length to export the generated electricity from the

Generating Station to the NPG sub-station.

2.2.2 Possible new sub-station1 – but this is not part of the DCO application as it will be provided for by

NPG.

The Connection will be designed by NPG and built by NBEL or NPG or a suitable accredited connection

company featuring on the National Electricity Registration Scheme, depending on the contractual

arrangements between those parties in place at the time of construction of the Generating Station.

1 Latest information provided by National Grid suggests this may not be required

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3 The Nature of the Generating Station

3.1 The Generating Station will be fuelled by biomass to produce heat to create steam that will turn a turbine.

The steam from one or two boilers will be fed to a steam turbine generator which will then generate

approximately 99.9 MWe of electricity. This will then be exported by the Connection to the local electricity

distribution network.

3.2 The electricity generated will be at approximately 15 kV. This will be increased by a transformer to 66kV.

This transformer will be situated within the compound of the generating station. There will also be an

associated switch room where circuit breakers are housed.

4 The Connection

4.1 The Connection from the generating station to NPG’s substation is expected to be provided by 2 x 66KV

underground cables. The connection point and ownership boundary will be at the generator transformer-

side cable terminations of NPG’s 66kV circuit breaker in the Generating Station.

4.2 The Connection will emerge from the Generating Station site on its eastern side, to run towards North

Blyth Road (classified highway no. C403). It will then run in a north-westerly direction in the verge

alongside North Blyth Road before turning to run on an east-west trajectory along the C415 highway to a

point at the entrance to RWE NPower’s former Blyth power station. The Connection will then run south,

then south-east, followed by a small length running west to connect with NPG’s existing sub-station (or a

new replacement substation to be provided by NPG, and therefore not part of the associated development

for which approval is sought under the DCO) on the former Blyth power station site.

4.3 The length of the Connection is approximately 1.7 kM.

4.4 The termination point will be at the site of NPG’s 66kV substation (or a new replacement substation to be

provided by NPG if required) on the site of the former Blyth power station.

4.5 The Connection will be installed principally by open trench methods but directional drilling will be required

for installation under the Port of Blyth’s railway running along the eastern edge of Battleship Wharf a and

the Port of Blyth’s railway connection to Network’s Rail’s national rail network, where the Port’s railway

crosses North Blyth Road on a level crossing.

4.6 Along the route it is anticipated that there will be between 4 and 8 jointing pits connecting the individual

cable lengths which will be laid in approximately 500 metre lengths. The actual cable lengths will be

determined by the final cable size and type (which dictates the cable drum diameter and subsequent

length of deliverable cable) and the location of the jointing pits which will be a factor of the final method

of installation..

4.7 To facilitate the Connection, NBEL will seek to acquire rights over the required land, or use its powers to

carry out streetworks in the DCO. NBEL is confident it has chosen a route that is appropriate for the

Connection and which will minimise disruption to frontagers, local residents and businesses; and minimise

disruption to the highway network.

5 Installation and Construction Details

5.1 As explained above, trench excavation will be carried out for laying of cable for the majority of the length

of the Connection. Particular care will be taken where other services exist in the vicinity of the

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Connection. Mechanical excavators will be used only to break surfaces in such areas, with subsequent

excavation being by hand.

5.2 Further, it is known that there is a level of asbestos contaminated material below a membrane installed

approximately one metre below existing ground levels under North Blyth Road. It is currently anticipated

that the cables will be laid above this membrane and not break it. If during the detailed design it is

determined that the excavation needs to exceed this depth on any part of the route, then specific method

statements and risk assessments will be provided to detail the control and design measures to be put in

place in these areas. These measures will consider both the construction activities and the completed

installation.

5.3 Prior to trenching in the area of the encapsulated asbestos a series of hand excavated inspection pits will

be dug to confirm the depth of the geo-membrane, and that a trench of sufficient depth can safely be

excavated. During the course of the initial hand excavations, the geo-membrane will not be disturbed or

punctured. A detailed method statement covering these works will be submitted to and approved by

Northumberland County Council (NCC) prior to the commencement of these works. If the hand dug

inspection pits confirm that the depth of material above the encapsulated contaminated soil is not

sufficiently deep to allow trenching without disturbance to the geo-membrane or contaminated soil

beneath, then the trenching works will need to be carried out under strict controls. If this is the case then

a method statement will be agreed with NCC, detailing the works and appropriate mitigation measures,

such as dampening down excavations to prevent the formation of dust, removal and disposal of any

excavated material by suitably accredited specialist contractors, and the use of PPE to protect construction

workers.

5.4 In addition to the asbestos risk, significant hazard identification will be undertaken for the length of the

Connection prior to any trenching or directional drilling works.

5.5 Directional drilling is anticipated in the following areas:

5.5.1 underneath the Port of Blyth’s level crossing over North Blyth Road;

5.5.2 Junction of C403 and C415 where the road width narrows between the housing. (This method of

installation may only be needed if the open trench method of installation restricts traffic access);

and

5.5.3 underneath the eastern boundary of Battleship Wharf, below the railway and bunded areas

containing encapsulated soil contaminated with asbestos following previous remediation works at

Battleship Wharf.

5.6 All persons engaged in excavation works will have undergone the necessary excavation training and will

be fully briefed on how to use the relevant equipment and have all necessary certificates. Connection will

be installed in full and liaison with the local highway authority and in accordance with all codes of practice

relevant to excavation.

5.7 The cables are expected to be installed in a trench of minimum width 1150mm and minimum depth

750mm. The trench will be backfilled with either the in-situ excavated material, or a combination of sand

and excavated material to suit the thermal resistivity requirements of the cable design.

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5.8 Where the cable runs underneath the public highway, additional cable protection using either cable duct or

a concrete cover slab in the trench may be provided.

5.9 The trench excavation and cable installation works will require a construction corridor for storage of

excavated material, trench vehicle access and safe working clearances. It is anticipated that to achieve

the necessary working corridor will require partial closure of one lane of the public highway and the

implementation of traffic management procedures such as temporary traffic lights or a convoy system to

allow traffic to pass the works. The works will not require the temporary closure of the whole carriageway

of the North Blyth Road, which will remain open, albeit with traffic management procedures noted above,

to ensure properties in North Blyth are not cut off. The width of the cable corridor will depend on the

construction method chosen during detail design and the verge area of the North Blyth Road will be

utilised for storage and access, where practical to do so.

5.10 The cables are expected to be similar to 3-phase 66kV 300mm2 XLPE Cu single-core cables.

5.11 Jointing pit locations and dimensions will be determined during detailed design. These will usually be at

significant changes of route direction and/or interfaces between trench and directional drilling installations.

For construction purposes each pit may be up to 4m wide by 10m in length to accommodate the 6 no.

joints necessary for the double cable installation. The jointing pits will be backfilled similar to the cable

trenches upon completion. They will be designed by NPG and their location will be determined following

NPG's full site investigation. The jointing pits will be in line with the cable trench and within the Order

limits and will be flush with the ground following construction.

5.12 Link boxes may be required at each jointing pit to allow for the bonding of the cable screens. These will be

located within 10m of each joint box and be provided with either a metal or concrete cover at ground

level. The boxes will be approximately 1m x 1m. The requirement for the link boxes will be dependent on

the cable detail design.

6 Responsibility for Designing and Building the Connection

6.1 The Connection will be the subject of detailed design by NPG and built on behalf of NBEL by NBEL or NPG

or a suitable accredited connection company featuring on the National Electricity Registration Scheme,

depending on the contractual arrangements between those parties in place at the time of construction of

the Generating Station. The contactor selected for the installation of the 66kV cable will be responsible for

carrying out the detailed design and preparing the method statements required for the scope of work

required for the cable installation.

7 Conclusions

7.1 The Grid Connection statement outlines the general proposal for the installation of the 66kV grid

connection from the Generating Station to the regional distribution network.

7.2 The principles and location of the Connection are explained in this document. NBEL is confident that it is

seeking the appropriate rights over land for the laying of the Connection.

7.3 The detailed proposals for laying the Connection will be developed once the contractor has been selected

and during the detailed design phase of the Project.

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Appendix 1 – Plan showing Connection

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