Because of the amount of electricity that will be generated (up to 1,000MW) it is necessary to connect directly into National Grid’s 400kV transmission system to feed the power into the UK’s electricity network. In June 2005, London Array submitted plans for a new substation, to be built at Cleve Hill near Graveney, about 1km south of the Thames Estuary. The substation would be sited adjacent to the existing Canterbury-Kemsley 400kV overhead line on the north side of Cleve Hill, close to existing farm buildings at Cleve Farm. It would be cut into the north face of Cleve Hill, with a base level of 6.4m Above Ordnance Datum (AOD). A small diversion of the existing overhead line will be required, which will involve moving it a short distance northwards and replacing three existing towers with new towers of a different design.

Several alternative sites were also considered, but Cleve Hill presented the best balance of environmental and technical issues. More information on alternatives can be found in our FAQ section.