Work is about to start on a multi-million pound project to boost power supplies to homes and businesses in the south east of Cambridge.
The £3.6 million investment by UK Power Networks, who distribute electricity across the East of England, will future-proof part of Cambridge’s power supplies by increasing the capacity to thousands of homes and businesses.
The project in the Fulbourn area will also boost the reliability of power supplies for around 22,000 customers, including Addenbrooke’s Hospital, and replacing outdoor electricity equipment with new indoor models.
This will allow for major re-development in the area and will be completed early in 2022.
Richard Desborough, project manager at UK Power Networks said: “This project will benefit the supplies within the Cambridge area, as it will cater for the proposed re-development in and around Cambridge. The new switchgear will be housed within a new building with much of the existing outdoor switchgear and concrete structures being removed.
“This project is one of many multi-million pound schemes we are carrying out this year with support from our Capital Programme Delivery alliance partners to make sure we continue to provide resilient power supplies for the local communities we serve.”
The company safely and reliably delivers electricity to 18 million people through cables, substations and power lines and invests around £600 million each year in the network.
Throughout the work UK Power Networks will follow Public Health England advice to keep its employees, contractors and customers safe and its work will be carried out in line with the latest Covid-19 health and safety guidance.
The network company is also asking customers not to approach its teams if they see them working unless it’s an electricity emergency – and, if they do, to maintain social distancing at all times.
