Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is investing £1.5m over to boost the resilience of the power supply to an island off the south east coast of England.
Situated in the borough of Havant, Hayling Island and its 8,000 residents will benefit from the upgrade works that are now under way, with completion expected in November this year.
The project, which will build resilience to the area's power supply through the upgrade and replacement of 12 kilometres of high voltage cable, will also allow for future commercial and residential connections. The six-month long programme of works will keep the island's infrastructure resilient and secure for decades to come.
While the project is looking ahead to ensure a power supply that is fit for the future, it is also taking into account the surrounding environment, as SSEN's Project Lead, Steve Cardinal explains:
"We're delighted to be investing such a significant sum to build a stronger power supply for our Hayling Island customers. We're very aware of working with the environment during this upgrade and as a result have already taken steps to alter the schedule due to water levels that would have delayed the progress of the project, and therefor lengthened the time we would have been working on the island.
"We'll also aim to minimise disruption wherever possible and our project team will work closely with those who live and work on the island to ensure the smooth running and progress of, not just these upgrade works, but of any planned, local activities during the works."
Network reliability is a key priority for SSEN and the customers its serves. Following a series of discussions, SSEN took the decision to make the investment to further improve network resilience, and future-proof its infrastructure for customer's changing demands. This is part of SSEN's commitment to taking a "you said, we did" approach to investing in its vital infrastructure.
For the duration of the works, SSEN will be available to address any questions raised by the community, so that all parties involved are able to influence any possible impact these works may have.
Towards the end of the works, SSEN expects to carry out some minor Planned Supply Interruptions (PSI) to enable the completion of the project. These will be carefully planned to minimise disruption and customers will be advised well in advance.
SSEN would also like to encourage anyone who could benefit from SSEN's additional services, such as the Priority Services Register to sign up. SSEN's Priority Services Register provides free additional support for customers who may become vulnerable during a power cut. Customers can qualify for SSEN's Priority Services Register if they:
- Are deaf or hard of hearing
- Have a disability
- Live with children under five
- Are blind or partially sighted
- Have a chronic illness
- Use medical equipment/aid reliant on electricity
- Are over 60
By registering for SSEN's PSR, customers will be proactively contacted to warn them of potential bad weather to help them prepare and to offer extra support where required. SSEN's teams will also keep in close and regular contact with its PSR customers during network outages to check they are getting the help they need.
To find out more about the PSR, click here, or call 0800 294 3259. For more information on all the support available from SSEN, and for helpful advice on preparing for and dealing with a power cut, please visit our website.
Letter drops will be carried out to homes and businesses to update them on the phases of the project as it reaches their immediate area as some of the areas of the upgrade may lead to traffic management systems and road closures (with local access) being used temporarily.