Noise Issue
Northern Power Grid was informed that a residential planning application was set to bring housing to within 22m of the two electrical transformers on Pontefract Substation. The concern was that electrical transformer noise has the potential to disturb residents with greater disturbance at night when things are quieter. dB Attenuation Limited were commissioned to undertake a noise survey and noise modelling exercise to determine the extent of transformer noise affecting the closest houses. The acoustic consultancy was undertaken by dB Attenutation's sister company dB Consultation Limited.
Noise Assessment
In October 2018 dBC attended site to undertake a noise survey. During the visit, the transformer sound powers were determined and environmental noise measurements were taken around the substation and surrounding land earmarked for residential development.
Electrical transformer noise is characterised by a hum at 100Hz. It is this hum that causes residential complaint. At proposed plot 63, 22m from the transformers, the noise model predicted a level of 60dB at 100Hz. In our experience, this level is almost certain to be audible within a house and result in complaint.
This information was passed to the developer who agreed to assist Northern Powergrid in introducing an acoustic solution to reduce transformer noise to a level where future complaints were unlikely.
