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Over £5 million is being spent on a major initiative to boost power supplies in Kimberley near Nottingham.

Western Power Distribution (WPD), the electricity distributor for the region, is committed to investing in its network to further improve supply reliability and customer service levels.

This new initiative involves the construction of a new substation in Watnall and the laying of around 5km of new 33,000 volt cable to connect the new substation to an existing substation in Moorgreen. This will help to further safeguard supply reliability to around 6,000 customers in the area.

WPD’s investment is also designed to better accommodate any increased demands placed on the power network in the future for additional developments.

“It ensures that we can provide a high level of service to these areas in the long term by improving the infrastructure and security of our electricity network,” said John Tasker, WPD’s Projects Team Manager for the area.

The project, which has recently started is expected to be complete by April 2015, although work to lay the new cables will be completed by September 2014.

Traffic management will be in place along the route as work progresses to enable WPD’s contractors Amey Construction to lay the new cables. A temporary traffic restriction order will also be in place between 35 Lower Beauvale and 41 Engine Lane from 06:30 on June 23 to 17:30 on July 8 to enable the work to take place.

Added John: “While this work is being undertaken, our aim is to keep any disruption to an absolute minimum. We have been liaising with Nottinghamshire County Council to agree on a cable route which creates the least disruption for traffic flow in the area.

“Our intention is to work on major junctions during off peak times and to keep customers who live along the route informed by letter. We have also been speaking with local bus companies about our plans.”

Note for newsdesks:
• Western Power Distribution (WPD) is the distribution network operator for the Midlands, South West England and South Wales, and is responsible for delivering electricity to approximately 7.8 million customers in the UK.

• WPD is not an electricity supply company and does not bill customers in the UK. Its responsibility is to distribute electricity from the point of generation to homes and businesses.