News Releases

Work that forms part of an £11 million initiative to boost power supplies in Herefordshire is well underway.

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. The investment is also designed to better accommodate the increased demands placed on the power network from regeneration in Hereford city.

This initiative, which started in February, involves the construction of a new substation in the city, the upgrading of equipment in a major substation near Dormington and the laying of 9km of 66,000 volt new cable between them.

The investment will help to further safeguard supply reliability to around 8,000 customers in the city centre.

“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 Mick Dunne, WPD’s Projects Manager for the area.

Some roads will have to be closed while the new cables are being laid by WPD’s contractors JSM Group, however signed diversions will be in place. The following roads will be affected:

• Hafod Road will be closed between May 16 and June 20.
• Central Avenue will be closed between May 22 and June 2.
• St Guthlac Street will be closed between June 2 and June 26.
• Canal Road and Monkmoor Street will be closed between May 22 and June 3.

Added Mick: “While this work is being undertaken, our aim is to keep any disruption to an absolute minimum. We have been speaking with Hereford City Council and the Highways Agency to agree on a cable route and road diversions which create the least disruption for traffic flow in the area.     
“We have also kept customers and business 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.