Homes and businesses in the Dorset village of Cerne Abbas are to benefit from an essential £5.5m electricity infrastructure upgrade, which will get underway this autumn.
The project to future-proof the local network will see the existing Cerne Abbas primary substation, which has helped power customer supplies since the 1960s, and is now reaching the end of its operational life, decommissioned. In its place, a newly designed, modernised substation will be constructed at a nearby site which is being located beyond the historic centre of the village.
A better location for the village's substation
The location of this new substation will also provide better access and safer working for our operational teams – away from local residents – while ensuring the village’s network is ready and resilient in meeting current needs. The improvements will also enable future upgrades, as more customers switch to low-carbon technologies to power their homes and vehicles.
Giving you advance notice of what we'll be doing
Scheduled to begin in autumn 2026 once full consents have been finalised, this reinforcement of Dorset’s local network forms part of our continued commitment to providing communities with a reliable, resilient and flexible power supply. By informing the community now of these forthcoming works, we're keen to ensure people understand the need for these improvements and the short-term effect they will have. The project will be completed towards the end of 2027. Once a precise date for the start of works is available, this will be communicated.
SSEN’s Cerne Abbas Project Manager Kris Haskins says:
“This £5.5 million investment is a vital step in further strengthening the electricity network serving our customers in Cerne Abbas and the wider Dorset area. The existing substation has served the community well for decades, but the equipment is nearing the end of its operational life and the current location makes future maintenance and upgrades more challenging.
“By building a new, modernised site a short distance out of the village, we’ll improve the amenity of the heart of this community, while also making further improvements to safety, supporting future demand and helping ensure customers continue to receive the reliable power supply they depend on.”
Kris Haskins continues:
“As with every essential infrastructure project, there is the potential for some-short disruption while long-term benefits are delivered. That’s why we’re committed to keeping our Cerne Abbas customers fully informed while doing everything we can to minimise any possible inconvenience.”
Our delivery partner, Aureos, has already carried out several surveys to help ensure the effect of the works is kept to a minimum. The project team has also worked closely with the local council highways authority to coordinate with other utility companies and reduce disruption to local traffic flow wherever possible.
Your chance to find out more
To give local people the opportunity to learn more about the project, ask questions and speak directly with the team, ourselves and Aureos will hold a community drop-in session at Cerne Abbas Village Hall, Kettle Bridge Lane, Dorchester, DT2 7GY on Tuesday 11 August between 2pm and 8pm.
Residents, businesses and stakeholders are encouraged to come along to the drop-in session to find out more about the planned upgrade, the proposed programme of works and how we'll keep the community updated throughout the project.
There are no planned power supply interruptions scheduled to take place during these works.
Anyone who has concerns about vulnerability during power cuts can register for SSEN’s Priority Services.