£3.8m network boost for Western Isles
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has completed a £3.8 million programme of works to reinforce and improve the electricity network in the Western Isles.
11th June 2019 by Networks
The project included establishing a second 33 kilovolt (kV) electricity circuit stretching almost 30 kilometres from Drimore to Pollachar to provide greater resilience, reducing the load on the existing line and providing another route to quickly re-connect customers’ power supplies in the event of a fault on the existing circuit.
SSEN’s teams also installed an additional transformer at Pollachar substation and upgraded the high voltage network on South Uist, Barra and Eriskay to strengthen the security of supply to its customers.
Colin Pirie, head of the Highlands and Islands region at SSEN, said: “The completion of this investment marks an important milestone in the delivery of one of our business plan commitments, targeting our investment where it will have the greatest benefit and improving the security of supply to our customers.
Angus MacNeil, MP for the Western Isles, added: “This project is a very welcome investment by SSEN and will make a real difference to island residents.
“Improving the resilience of the electricity network will hopefully mean less power cuts and shorter power supply interruptions when faults do occur.”
Comments
Login on register to comment
Related content
Power
The future for vegetation management
Why networks should focus on data not trees to overcome the costly challenges involved in vegetation management
Power
An unprecedented opportunity for change
Why short interruptions will matter in RIIO-ED2 and how to address them.
Power
Time for less talk and more action on decarbonisation
Core "oven-ready" solutions to decarbonising heat and transport exist today and should be implemented without delay, says WPD's future power networks expert.
Related supplier content
![‘Learning by doing’ on the road to net zero [test product]](https://networksonline.s3.amazonaws.com/products/images/3.jpg)
People & Skills
‘Learning by doing’ on the road to net zero [test product]
DSO director Andrew Roper discusses 'Learning by doing'
Power
Load patterns and lockdown: how Covid-19 is impacting electricity networks
Insights into dynamics on the low voltage network as the outbreak unfolds
Downloads
Protect electrical equipment from insulation failure
Insulation faults are a major cause leading to the eventual failure of electrical equipment. Partial discharge (PD) is a very reliable indicator of developing insulation faults. Regular PD testing allows users to detect and analyze PD activity