A substantial programme of works by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) to boost power supplies to over 16,000 homes and businesses in a Dorset town have been completed to budget.
The £1.3 million improvement project, which started at the end of January this year, centred around the substation in the Upper Parkstone area of Poole; upgrading the local infrastructure to meet the needs of customers for years to come as they take up low carbon technologies, such as electric vehicles and heat pumps.
The ambitious works by the distribution operator have enabled a more robust and flexible network for surrounding properties by replacing the site's two existing transformers with more modern and efficient equipment. Additionally, the enclosure for the new transformers has been replaced and upgraded, ensuring the local environment is protected and any potential noise is reduced to an absolute minimum.
The rural situation of the substation enabled SSEN to carry out the entire works without interruption to the power supplies of local residents.
Tim Eccleston, SSEN's Project Manager said:
"My team and I are delighted to have been able to carry out this considerable project for SSEN's Upper Parkstone customers, with an upgrade that future-proofs the local network and helps them to meet their decarbonisation ambitions.
"Poole is a busy coastal town and, at SSEN, we want to ensure we build and upgrade the electricity infrastructure to accommodate the requirements of the people who live and work here, as well as the many visitors to the area."
With a population of over 99,000, the wider Poole area is forecast to have 484 EV chargepoints by the end of 2021, with that figure rising to 13,427 in 2030 and reaching 27,278 by 2050. Additionally, heat pumps installed across the Dorset town are forecast to rise from 768 in 2021 to 35,787 by 2050.
SSEN's investment in Upper Parkstone ensures a power supply to suit the needs of residents now and in to the future. By upgrading this critical section of Poole's electricity network, local communities can achieve their decarbonisation goals, so as more customers turn to low carbon technologies such as electric vehicles and heat pumps, they have a supply and infrastructure that's fit for purpose.