Communities in and around Fort William and Corran will benefit from a £630,000 upgrade to their local electricity network as Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) invests in the West Highlands.
SSEN engineers recently started work between Blarmachfoldach and Inchree to replace over 100 wooden electricity poles on the main overhead power line serving local communities, upgrading and strengthening the existing network to deliver a safe, secure and reliable supply of electricity to customers.
A new section of power line will also be installed near Corran substation to provide an alternate route for the electricity powering homes and businesses, providing greater flexibility during planned maintenance or power cuts to minimise disruption to customers.
The investment also includes the installation of innovative automation equipment to speed up restoration times in the event of a fault, with lightning protection also being installed to provide an additional layer of defense during thunderstorms and severe lightning events.
Martin McLean, Lead Engineer and Project Manager at SSEN, said:
"As part of our annual programme of investment, we're carrying out significant upgrades to the electricity network serving homes and businesses around the Lochaber area to ensure our customers continue to receive a reliable power supply this winter and for many years to come."
"Due to the remote location of some of these works, you may spot our teams using helicopters to fly out wooden electricity poles to some of the harder-to-reach areas. While you may notice more of our vehicles in the area, we'd like to reassure our customers we continue to adhere to Government guidance and strict social distancing measures to protect the safety of the local community and our engineers as they work."
Once work is complete by early December 2020, the investment will minimise the risk of power cuts, reduce disruption in the event of a fault on the network and provide greater security of supply to local homes, businesses and local electricity generation schemes.
SSEN would like to remind customers of its Priority Services Register, which offers free additional support to those who need it most.
People can register for additional help 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/aids reliant on electricity
- Are over 60
- Temporarily need extra support
To find out more about Priority Services, please visit ssen.co.uk/PSR or call 0800 294 3259.