Electricity linesmen have strengthened 236 pylons in a £2m project to refurbish 60km of network, between Melksham and Andover helping to keep the lights on for thousands of residents.

Residents living in Melksham and others in towns and villages along the line, such as Devizes, Rushall, Pewsey, the Chutes and Andover, will benefit from a more robust line, better able to withstand the elements, helping to ensure a reliable electricity supply to their homes and businesses for many years to come.

All 236 pylons have had their concrete bases and legs inspected before being shored up to increase stability of the structure.  The base of more than 930 legs have been primed and repainted and the concrete re-laid to help extend the lifespan of the pylons for at least another 20 years.

Project manager, Duncan Black, said: “It’s certainly been one of our biggest re-furbishing projects.  We started last year, and continued through the summer and the first half of winter.

"We’ve worked through some of the wettest weather we can remember.  We’ve delayed approaching some of the structures because it’s been too wet, or to accommodate farmers either harvesting, ploughing or re-planting their fields. We’ve also worked closely with environmental organisations to minimise disruption to wildlife in some of the more sensitive areas.” 

"There's been regular liaison with landowners on whose land the pylons sit.  The vast majority of them have been very responsive to our request and interested in the work we've been doing, and we'd like to thank them for their co-operation which has enabled us to complete the project largely to plan."