06 August 2010 14:28 East Midlands electricity health checks continue

Central Networks, the electricity distribution company for central England, is continuing its fly-by of the electricity network, after finishing inspections of its towers which support the 132kV electricity network.

Jim O’Sullivan, Director of Infrastructure Services at Central Networks, said: “Our engineers will be inspecting thousands of electricity poles and miles of power lines 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 Wednesday 11^th August and will run for a period of seven weeks, depending on weather conditions. The inspections will take one week per county and will run in the following order: Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes, Coventry and Warwickshire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire.

The overhead checks follow three weeks of inspections of Central Networks’ largest electricity 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