13 July 2010 14:22 East Midlands electricity towers get their annual health check

Central Networks, the electricity distribution company for central England, is conducting a fly-by of its 132kV electricity network to inspect thousands of its largest towers carrying overhead power lines.

The work is just one of the ways Central Networks maintains its network to help keep the lights on for the 10 million people living in its distribution area.

Jim O'Sullivan, Director of Infrastructure Services at Central Networks, said: "Our engineers will be inspecting more than 4,500 electricity towers on our network by helicopter to spot any potential hazards to our network. Using a helicopter is the quickest and safest way we can carry out this important work.

"The inspections will help us plan our investment and maintenance work more effectively and ensure the reliability of the network."

Patrols start on Monday 19^th July and will run for a period of three weeks, depending on weather conditions. The inspections will cover electricity towers across Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, North Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Warwickshire, and Derbyshire.

Once patrols of the 132kV network have been completed, further inspections will be carried out on power poles and smaller towers across the region.

Ends

Notes to editors:

• Central Networks, provides a reliable supply to 10 million people in central England through 133,000km of underground and overhead cables - enough to go round the Earth more than three times - and via almost 94,000 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 contact:

Alisha Allen on 02476 192 063