SSEN invest £840k in Sanday

January 15, 2019 at 10:55 am

SSEN say they have completed an £840,000 investment in Sanday’s infrastructure.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Distribution (SSEN Distribution) has completed an £840,000 investment in Sanday, Orkney as part of a £1.3 million overall investment to upgrade the local electricity network serving the island.

Teams of engineers worked over a three-month period to strengthen the resilience of the network by replacing 110 wooden electricity poles, 12km of overhead line conductors, 16 transformers and associated electrical equipment. SSEN say these changes are aimed at improving the security of supply serving one of Orkney’s most remote islands, enhancing network resilience for the local community.

The network operator has also installed new automation equipment on the network which allows SSEN’s teams to remotely operate switches, meaning power can be restored much quicker in the event of a power cut by remotely isolating the affected part of the network.

Colin Rendall, SSEN’s Orkney Operations Manager, said: “The work on Sanday forms part of an ongoing commitment to target our investment towards improving network reliability in the areas with the greatest potential impact and improvement for our customers. We’re delighted to have completed this project on time and on budget, providing a more resilient, stronger electricity network for our customers on Sanday.

“As a responsible network operator, we worked closely with archaeologists and ecologists to ensure all works were completed in a responsible manner, with careful consideration for the local landscape and environment. We’d like to thank the local community for their support and patience during these works.”

This work, delivering on one of SSEN’s business commitments, means the main network line serving 425 properties from Stove to the north end of Sanday has now been upgraded — resulting in a more resilient network for SSEN’s customers living and working on the island.

Mobile generation was deployed throughout the duration of the project to minimise disruption to the island community, ensuring schools, shops, hotels and local businesses stayed on supply whilst SSEN’s engineers undertook this essential work.