Completed on time and to budget, SSEN’s £5.6 million investment in Aldershot’s infrastructure brings a more resilient and flexible power supply to the town’s 61,000 customers. This substantial project, spanning just over two years, has been fully completed and energised following the replacement of existing equipment with modern, sustainable and more efficient kit.
The distribution operator focused the project on upgrading the outdoor switchgear, along with building a switch room to accommodate the new indoor switchgear and associated kit, that now supplies homes and businesses in this thriving and developing Hampshire town.
This multi-million pound investment in the latest technology ensures the strength of Aldershot’s power network; providing greater network security for customers and keeping power flowing to help those living and working in the area meet their net zero goals, with an infrastructure fit for the future.
SSEN’s Project Manager, Paul Goodchild:
“It’s been a pleasure for my team and I to work on this extensive project that boosts the strength and security of power supplies for local homes and businesses across Aldershot for many years to come. As a considerate constructor, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) carried out three months of extensive ecological and environmental studies, prior to any work, to ensure there would be no negative impact as a result of this upgrade. Additionally, we were able to carry out these works with no road closures and no interruptions to customer supplies throughout the project, and engaged specialist equipment that reduced piling works from ten days to one and therefor minimising the potential for disruption through noise.”
Paul continued:
“These works show SSEN’s commitment to our customers in Aldershot - and the wider Hampshire area - by providing them with the electricity infrastructure they need to suit their needs now and as they adopt more low carbon technologies to meet their net zero goals.”
While no interruptions to power supplies were required during these works, customers are reminded of the Priority Services Register which provides assistance in the event of a power cut.
Customers are eligible for SSEN's free Priority Services Register (PSR) 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 the PSR, click here or call 0800 294 3259. Additionally, you can access further information on power cuts and how SSEN can assist you during this time, by going to: Power cuts & safety - SSEN
SSEN’s investment in this area of Hampshire ensures a power supply that suits the needs of residents now and in to the future. By upgrading this section of the local infrastructure, SSEN is helping its customers to achieve their decarbonisation ambitions; so as more of them turn to low carbon technologies such as electric vehicles, they have the reassurance of a strong and flexible power supply.
As the distribution operator for central southern England, SSEN invests over £150 million a year in building resilience across its network, through upgrading and reinforcing the electricity infrastructure. This includes around £20 million a year on regular tree cutting and maintenance, over £12 million targeted for refurbishing overhead lines and over £2 million to install Automated Devices on parts of the network to enable the faster restoration of customer supplies in the event of a fault.