SSEN Distribution’s project to upgrade the electricity network between Aultbea and Ullapool is progressing well, with work on both the overhead lines and sites on the ground continuing apace.

The £14.2m project, which kicked off at the start of this year and is due to be completed next March, will not only strengthen existing supplies, the overall capacity of the network will also be increased - a move that is vital to support the increasing uptake in home-based EV chargers and heat pumps as the country moves to net zero.

 

 

200 new poles and 13km of overhead lines have now been installed between Slattadale and Ullapool – and part of this new line is due to be energised in the coming weeks, after which the process to dismantle the existing one will begin.

Work has also started on the new switching station at Morefield in Ullapool – this is a key part of the overall project, as it will house the circuit-breakers which will allow engineers to re-route (‘switch’) supplies to different parts of the network in the rare event of a fault, getting the power back on more quickly and minimising any inconvenience for customers.

And it’s not just the new switching station that’s being built at Ullapool – teams are also busy at the local substation making preparations for the new transformer which will be arriving towards the end of September – the transformer sits at the very heart of a substation’s operations, as it reduces (‘transforms’) the voltage level of power it receives from the grid to a level that is suitable for distributing to the local homes and businesses.

John Shanks, SSEN’s Project Manager, said:

“Since we started in the spring our teams have been working hard in a whole variety of different weather conditions – with rain, wind and snow at the earlier parts of the project – all of these conditions bring their own set of challenges, and I’m pleased to say that with everyone’s hard work we’re still on schedule to complete the project next March.”

Click on the image above to see work starting on site the new Morefield switching station.

About this author

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks

We are the electricity Distribution Network Operator (DNO) responsible for delivering power to over 3.8 million homes and businesses across central southern England and the north of Scotland. We serve some of the most diverse and unique geographies across the UK, and keep customers and communities connected whilst developing the flexible electricity network vital to achieving net zero.