£8.1m investment pledged for East Worcestershire power network

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

This new initiative involvesupgrading equipment in major substations at Feckenham and Evesham and laying 21km of 66,000 volt cable between them. This will help to further safeguard supply reliability to around 91,000 customers in the Stratford, Shipston, Moreton, Long Marston, Evesham, Pershore and Strensham areas.

WPD’s investment is also designed to better accommodate any increased demands placed on the power network in the future for additional developments.

“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.
The project is due to start on August 3, with completion expected by December 2013. Cable laying works are being carried out by JSM.

Mick added: “While this work is being undertaken, our aim is to keep any disruption to an absolute minimum. We have been speaking with Worcester and Warwickshire Council and the Highways Agency to agree on a 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. We have also been speaking with local bus companies about our plans.
Representatives from WPD and their contractors JSM will be available to discuss the works in further detail between 4-8pm on Friday July 26, in Cookhill Village Hall.”