25 May 2005 00:00 The big switch on - Nottinghamshire’s electricity network gets a £15 million boost

People living in Nottinghamshire will not notice that their power is now being supplied by a new multi-million pound state of the art electricity substation – and that is just how Central Networks like it.

After two years of hard work, a new substation on Queen’s Drive in Nottingham will eventually supply 500,000 customers in the city and beyond with an improved and even more reliable electricity supply.

Built, on a site that’s a third of the size of the old facility, the new substation was turned on for the first time last week.

Projects Group Manager Michael Dunne said: “We’ve reached an important milestone in a four year project that will provide our customers with a first class service.

“Over the next seven months we’ll be switching our customers over from the old substation to the new one – which is a complex process that requires all the skills of our engineers.”

Once all customers are switched over, work will begin on dismantling the old structure, greatly improving the visual impact of the substation.

Michael said: “Many of the new wires that surround the substation have been put underground. When the old structure, which was built in the 1940s, finally comes down at the end of the year local people will see a huge difference.”

In addition to the new substation, work has been ongoing to underground a large section of the network between Toton, Chillwell and Beeston. The 18 redundant pylons will be dismantled and taken down by the end of the summer.

The overhead network between Long Eaton and Toton has also been improved, with new line being strung and electrical fittings replaced. Work is due to be complete by end of the month.

“All of our investment across Nottingham will ensure local people continue to receive a reliable electricity supply and make an excellent service even better” said Michael.

Ends

Notes to editors:
•Central Networks is the new name for Midlands Electricity and East Midlands Electricity. The company brings power to 4.8 million customers across the East and West Midlands through 133,000km of underground and overhead cables – enough to go round the Earth almost four times – and via almost 97,000 substations;
•Central Networks covers an area from the Peak District in the north to parts of Bristol in the south, and from the Welsh Borders to the Lincolnshire Coast.

For further information and pictures contact:
Rebecca Middleton on 024 7642 5779
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