Via the pylons, here is the invisible power line. The modernization works in Turin are being carried out by Terna, which just today launched, in the presence of the mayor of Turin, Piero Fassino, of Terna's Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Del Fante, and the national Vice-President of Legambiente, Edoardo Zanchini, the demolition of three old power lines dating back to the 50s which cross the Parco della pellerina, the largest green area in the city from which, over a hundred years ago, the electrification of Turin started.
Once the dismantling works have been completed, approximately 10 hectares of parkland will be returned to the citizens of Turin – an area equivalent to almost 15 football pitches – free from 5,5 kilometers of overhead lines and 21 old pylons. Today, after the initial phases that allowed the conductors to be removed, Terna has begun demolition work on the pylons inside the Pellerina Park, which will be replaced by an “invisible” line, because it is completely underground. All the components of the pylons (steel, aluminium, glass, concrete), which in some cases reach a height of over 50 metres, will subsequently be delivered to specialized firms, which will dispose of them and re-introduce them into the production cycle.
The intervention is part of the broader plan to reorganize the Turin electricity grid, now obsolete and no longer able to meet the current energy needs of the city: a project for which Terna will invest a total of 210 million euros, of which around 120 million have already been spent, and which is involving over 130 businesses, with estimated savings for households and businesses of over 50 million euro a year. In total, for the modernization of the whole Piedmontese electricity grid, Terna has planned interventions for 1,2 billion euro, which will generate lower costs of around 250 million euro/year for the benefit of citizens and businesses, thanks to the involvement of over 100 businesses, mostly local, and over 500 workers. Present in the Region with over 4.500 kilometers of high and very high voltage power lines and 43 stations, it also plans to build 200 kilometers of new power lines against a good 460 kilometers of dismantled overhead lines.
Among the works in progress, also the important one interconnection between Italy and France which will make it possible to increase the possibility of electricity exchange between the two countries by 60%, increasing the transport capacity on the French border up to 1.200 MW, connecting the electricity stations of Piossasco, in Italy, and Grand'Ile, in France. Terna currently has over 200 construction sites open throughout Italy, involving 750 businesses and 4.000 workers every day.
“Improve the efficiency of electricity grids, minimizing their environmental impact. A double objective – underlines the mayor of Turin Piero Fassino – certainly shared by the City of Turin and Terna, as is evident from the work carried out in the Pellerina Park, where the high voltage cables run underground and the dismantling and removal of the pylons present in this area for over half a year has been started century. Today – added Fassino – every infrastructure modernization operation cannot be separated from actions to protect and enhance the landscape. From this point of view, the collaboration between the City of Turin and Terna has given, and I am sure it will continue to give in the future too, positive results and will bring advantages both for energy transmission activities and in terms of environmental quality for the whole the city community".
“The action we are launching today – declares Terna's Chief Executive Officer Matthew Del Fante – represents the fruit of a process of dialogue with local institutions that began more than ten years ago. In fact, this territory has always shown great sensitivity and a great capacity for collaboration, this makes it a model for the whole country and helps us find the best solutions for a technological, sustainable and environmentally friendly development of the network".
