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The Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations (ESTI) has granted the construction plans for last section of the 380 kV Châtelard – La Bâtiaz overhead line, from pylon 127 to the La Bâtiaz station, and the replacement of the substation of La Bâtiaz.
The proposed new 380 kV line to transport the electricity generated by the Nant de Drance pumped storage power station between the power station itself and Le Verney (Martigny) is divided into three sections:
- 6.5 km of cable line in the tunnel between the Nant de Drance power plant and the Châtelard station: all building permits have already been granted and the work is progressing well. The first connections of the underground 380 kV cables will be drawn and established during autumn 2016 in the tunnel connecting the two stations. The installations at the Nant de Drance and Châtelard stations will also be established between now and the end of 2016.
- 12.5 km of overhead line between the Châtelard and La Bâtiaz stations. The final missing building permit for this line corridor for pylon 127 at the La Bâtiaz station was granted on April 12, 2016. The foundation work and the installation of the pylons in the municipalities of Finhaut and Martigny will be carried out this summer and the conductors (cables) will be installed this autumn between the Châtelard substation and pylon 127 in the Salvan municipality. Regarding the La Bâtiaz substation, following the building permission granted on April 21, 2016 by the ESTI, the construction of the new 380-kV-GIS hall will start on May 16.
- The 2010 project to establish a 380 kV overhead line between La Bâtiaz and Le Rosel has been replaced by a 1.3 km cable line between La Bâtiaz and Le Verney. The publication for public consultation did not give rise to any opposition. Swissgrid is awaiting building permission in the second quarter, and will then issue a call for tenders for the cable pipeline, delivery and installation of the UHV cables.
The construction of the overhead section between Châtelard and La Bâtiaz is likely to be completed mid-2017. The existing 220 kV overhead line will be dismantled once the new 380 kV overhead line enters service. The modification of the project for the new SBB 132 kV overhead line between Marcot and Vernayaz will also be published for public consultation during the course of third quarter 2016.
The proposed new 380 kV line between Nant de Drance and Le Verney, the new substations of La Bâtiaz and Châtelard, as well as the new 380 kV station in cavern of Nant de Drance are essential for transporting the electricity generated by the Nant de Drance pumped storage power station till Verney. The Nant de Drance pumped storage power station will be commissioned step-by-step in 2018.