The second phase of a £3 million programme of works to boost the resilience of the electricity infrastructure in the Wokingham Borough area starts next week.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) will continue with the essential works to strengthen the network to meet the increasing demands in the Earley, Winnersh and Aborfield areas; improving the security of the supply and minimising the risk of power cuts to residents and businesses.

As part of this second phase, essential duct and power cable installations are required, with excavations works planned in the following areas:

  • 24 July to 18 August - Nightingale Road
  • 24 July to 24 August - Wokingham Road (at the junction of Loddon Bridge Rd to Sutcliffe Ave)
  • 17 August to 31 August - Dartington Avenue
  • 23 August to 8 September - Clivedale Road
  •  25 August to 12 September - Coppice Road

Project Manager, David Zirpins said; "This latest phase sees the reinforcement of existing power supplies, with future-proofing along the same route and this will require excavations on some streets during the works. As with all streetwork excavations, some disruption is unavoidable and SSEN would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience that may cause.

"We will, of course, do all we can to minimise the disruption and will reinstate the road excavations once the works have been completed. In September, there will be short duration works to enable the installation and jointing of the power cables, following which resurfacing works will be carried out.

"No further works are planned for Loddon Bridge Road, as these ducts have already been installed as part of the first phase of this programme which was completed by SSEN earlier this year."

Residents and businesses in the immediate vicinity of these works have been notified in writing in advance and SSEN wants to reassure its customers that throughout this programme of improvement it will do everything possible to reduce the possibility of noise or disruption while building a stronger electricity network for Wokingham Borough.