£102 million investment to future-proof network

UK Power Networks is this year making an investment of more than £100 million in its electricity networks serving communities across London, the East and South East of England.

Engineers from UK Power Networks are carrying out an ongoing programme of works for over 100 projects to install and upgrade electricity equipment such as substations, transformers, and circuit breakers, that help to ensure reliable power supplies for 8.4 million homes and businesses. This year the network operator is investing £102m, £72m of capital programme projects and a further £30m as part of its Green Recovery scheme which is fast-tracking the infrastructure required by low carbon projects at 86 sites to help achieve the Government’s Ten Point Plan towards net zero by 2050.

UK Power Networks’ teams work in consultation with interested parties including councils, residents, local business and community groups, to replace vital infrastructure to ensure it is fit to support the local economy, residents and businesses in the area for years to come. For example, a project to replace three large transformers at Leicester Square substation in London is due to be completed ahead of schedule this summer, providing the additional capacity and resilience to the existing network.

The company’s strategy is supported by the investment and flexibility needed to adapt the electricity network ready for people to use low carbon technologies such as heat pumps and electric vehicles, matching the speed and scale that they are adopted by the public.

John Southgate, Head of Alliance at UK Power Networks, says: “This investment will provide long-term benefits for residents and businesses across our networks. A lot of our work involves the construction of new electricity supply points, to allow for an increase in capacity that helps meets new demand. As more customers turn to low carbon technologies such as electric vehicles, we are working to deliver a network infrastructure that meets future needs.

“This year’s major investment in network capacity is going to enable a number of low carbon technologies to connect to the electricity grid, contributing to reduce carbon emissions and improved air quality across our regions, as well as promoting jobs and economic recovery.”