£300k investment improves Westerleigh supply

Over £300,000 is being spent on a major initiative to improve power supplies in Westerleigh and surrounding villages in South Gloucester.

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

This new initiative involves WPD replacing around 5km of overhead lines and underground cables, and upgrading and automating equipment in an existing substation. Once complete, this will help to further safeguard supply reliability to around 500 customers in Westerleigh, Henfield, Wapley and Codrington.

The project, which is being undertaken in stages and started in October 2013, involved around 1.5km of overhead lines being rebuilt between Henfield and Kidney Hill and 2.5km of underground cables being installed between Coalpit Heath and Henfield.

The next stage will see the installation of a further 700m of underground cable between Mill Crescent, Kidney Hill and Westerleigh Rd. The final stage will involve the upgrade and automation of equipment in an existing substation and a further 1km of overhead line being rebuilt between Westerleigh Village and Oakleigh Green which is scheduled to be completed by May 2015.

“Improving the infrastructure and security of our electricity network ensures that we can provide a high level of service to Westerleigh long term,” said Neil James, WPD’s Distribution Manager for the area.

“We have been working closely with South Gloucester Council’s Street Works team and the local Parish Council to agree on a cable route that creates the least disruption for traffic flows in the area,” said Neil.