Isle of Wight’s power supplies boosted by £1 million investment

August 18, 2021 — Homes and businesses on the Isle of Wight are to benefit from a £1 million project by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution to upgrade and replace part of the island’s power network.

The substantial programme of works, in the Wootton Common area of the island, is already underway and will boost power supplies for over 3,400 customers who live and work in the local area. Running until the end of October 2021, the 16-week long project will include the complete refurbishment of two 132kv transformers on the area’s network, along with the replacement of two 33kv circuit breakers and the upgrade of all of the local, associated network protection systems.

In addition to the upgrade of the infrastructure, SSEN will decommission an oil storage tank and associated equipment no longer in use at the Wootton Common substation; clearing the site and removing any materials – that are no longer required or can be reused – from the island.

These works will not only boost the resilience and strength of the existing island network, but will provide a more modern and efficient infrastructure for SSEN’s Isle of Wight customers as they adopt low carbon technologies, such as electric vehicles. Network reliability is a key priority for SSEN and the communities it serves, and the distribution operator has planned this substantial upgrade to maintain a robust infrastructure for customers’ changing demands.

SSEN’s Project Manager, Tim Eccleston said,“My team and I at SSEN are delighted to be working on this project that will see a £1 million investment in the infrastructure located in the Wootton Common area of Ryde.

“These works will considerably boost the resilience of the power supplies for over 3,400 customers living and working locally; strengthening the network against adverse weather conditions and building an infrastructure that meets our customers’ needs now and in to the future.”

Tim added: “The project will be carried out with the least possible disruption to our customers. The upgrade to the infrastructure will be contained within the footprint of the substation site and I’d like to reassure our customers that there are no Planned Supply Interruptions for the duration of the project.”

SSEN’s investment on the Isle of Wight will help ensure a power supply that suits the needs of residents and business owners now and for years to come. SSEN is undertaking these works following consultation with stakeholders and in line with its commitment to listen to the requirements of its customers, ensuring they have a supply and network that’s fit for purpose.