Balfour has bagged the largest £214m deal from National Grid for the North and South 400kV overhead lines.

Murphy will construct 10.7 km of underground 132kV cables from Nailsea to Portishead while Siemens will build a new substation at Sandford.

Sue Adam, Hinkley Connection Project Director said: “The awarding of these contracts marks a major step forward on this vital connection project. It means that we will now be able to gear up to start construction work in earnest.

“We look forward to working with our new partners to deliver the many different elements of the work involved.

“This will see lots of construction work going on at different times and in different places over the next eight years.

“We and our newly appointed contractors will do everything we can to minimise impacts wherever possible.”

The new 400,000 volt connection will be 57 km long – consisting of 48.5 km of overhead line and 10.7km of underground cable, 8.5km of which passes through the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Balfour will design, supply, install, test and commission a new overhead line spanning 48.4km and crossing through the Mendip Hills in Somerset.

On completion, the new line will connect Hinkley with a new substation in Avonmouth, Bristol.

Balfour will utilise National Grid’s new T-Pylon design for the fist time on a live transmission asset

Mark Bullock, Balfour Beatty’s Chief Executive Officer for its Rail and Utilities business, said: “Our extensive knowledge and unique capability in delivering major complex Overhead Line schemes, makes us ideally positioned to play a key role in helping to deliver the first nuclear power station to be built in the UK for more than 20 years.

“We look forward to working with National Grid to successfully and safely deliver low-carbon electricity for around six million homes across the UK.”

John Murphy, Murphy CEO commented “We’re pleased to have been awarded this contract by National Grid, and look forward to bringing our engineering expertise and skilled workforce to deliver such an important infrastructure project.”

Mark Tiernan, Director, High Voltage Substations, Siemens, said: “Hinkley Point C will play an important role in the UK’s energy security once it is operational, contributing low carbon power to homes and businesses across the country.

” Siemens is delighted to be contributing to this scheme through its design and construction of National Grid’s Sandford Substation.