News Releases

Over £2.5 million is being spent on a major initiative to improve power supplies in Shrewsbury.

Western Power Distribution (WPD), the electricity distributor for the Midlands region since April 2011, is committed to investing on its network to improve supply reliability and customer service levels.

This new initiative involves WPD laying 8km of 33,000 volt cable between Shrewsbury and Harlescott, which will help to safeguard supply reliability to around 2,500 customers in the Harlescott area of Shrewsbury.

WPD’s investment is also designed to accommodate for any increased demands placed on the power network into the future by such things as additional development in the city.

“It ensures that we can provide a high level of service to Shrewsbury long term, by improving the infrastructure and security of our electricity network,” said Kester Jones, WPD’s Distribution Manager for the area.

The project is due to start in late July, with completion of the cable laying aspect of the works expected in December 2013. These works will be undertaken by Morrison Utility Services on behalf of WPD.

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

“Our intention is also to work on major junctions during off peak times and to keep customers who live along the route informed by letter.”

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.