Further demolition of the 70kV high-voltage line between Malderen and Mechelen

As from 3 April, Elia will continue with the demolition of the high-voltage pylons on the route between Malderen and Mechelen. Last year, a number of pylons had already been removed, and now it is the turn of the 50 remaining ones. The electricity cables themselves were removed back in 2021 and replaced with underground cables. The high-voltage grid operator wants the work to be completed by this autumn.

Works in phases

The Malderen-Mechelen high-voltage line dates from the 1920s and was no longer suitable to the needs of our society requiring more electricity. For this reason, already in 2020, Elia decided to take the 70kV line out of service and replace it with new 150 kV underground power cables to ensure electricity supply in the region further. A year later, the conductors were removed from the high-voltage pylons. In 2022 the contractor started to demolish a few pylons and from 3 April until the autumn of 2023, Elia will continue to remove the remaining 50 pylons. 

Elia is taking into account that the works will partly happen during the birds’ breeding season. If nests are discovered in a high-voltage pylon, the demolition of that pylon will be planned for a later date.  
   
100-year-old line disappears

The dismantling of high-voltage pylons will be done using high cranes. The pylons will be dismantled in different parts.  The foundations will then be removed. Finally, the soil will be repaired so that its condition corresponds with that of the surrounding land. 

“In a first phase, we are starting in Tisselt and removing the pylons in the direction of Malderen. After that, we will continue to work towards Mechelen in a subsequent phase. We are aiming to have the whole line taken away by autumn. In total, some 50 high-voltage pylons that have been visible in the landscape for 100 years now will be removed,” says Simon November from Elia’s Project Communication department.