Bagworth Road Point of Connection (PoC) – Detailed Design

Client: National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED)
Project: UK0360 – Bagworth Road PoC
Location: Bagworth, Leicestershire, UK
Delivery Partner: Groundline Engineering

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The Client

National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) is a leading electricity distribution network operator in the UK, responsible for delivering power to millions of homes and businesses across the Midlands, South West, and Wales.

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The Need

To enable the connection of a new 49.9MW Stones Hollow PV Solar Farm to the existing 132kV overhead line, NGED required a detailed design for a new point of connection (PoC). The preferred solution involved replacing an existing tower with a new terminal tower and integrating downleads to gantries.

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What We Did

Groundline Engineering was brought on board to handle the detailed design for the best solution. Here’s what we did:

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• Replacing an existing tower with a new tower, rotated and repositioned to facilitate a loop-in loop-out configuration.
• Conducting a full topographical survey and PLS CADD modelling of the relevant towers.
• Performing structural analysis and foundation load comparisons for the relevant towers.
• Designing new uplift/compression pad and column foundations for the new tower.
• Ensuring compliance with ENATS 43-125 and BS EN 50341 standards for electrical and structural reliability.
• Delivering a comprehensive suite of construction documents, including wire clearance diagrams, erection stringing charts, and foundation drawings.

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Challenges & Solutions

Key challenges included managing clearance infringements and ensuring structural integrity under extreme weather conditions. Groundline addressed these by:

• Installing suspended tension sets to resolve ground clearance issues.
• Accepting minor over-utilization of the existing OPGW under a 1-in-500-year ice event, justified by probabilistic design analysis.
• Recommending further wire clearance checks around gantry structures to ensure safe dropper arrangements.

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Results

The final design confirmed that all towers met or exceeded required reliability levels. Existing foundations were deemed sufficient, avoiding costly upgrades. The project delivered a robust, standards-compliant design ready for construction, enabling NGED to move forward with the solar farm connection confidently.

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