Electricity network in north-west Sutherland set for £400k upgrade
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Homes in north-west Sutherland are set to benefit from an upgraded electricity network.
Work started this month on a £409,000 scheme to upgrade the electricity network serving Rhiconich, Scourie and Kylesku.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) says it is replacing wooden electricity poles, installing lightning protection, replacing a section of electricity cable and installing automated equipment to speed up restoration times in the event of a power cut.
It says the work will improve the resilience of the network, minimising the risk of power cuts and providing greater security of supply to homes and businesses in the area.
Colin Pirie, head of the Highlands and Islands region at SSEN, said: “We invest in our infrastructure to improve and strengthen the resilience of our electricity networks to ensure we continue to deliver a safe, secure and reliable supply of electricity to our customers. This investment in Sutherland will upgrade the existing network, installing innovative automated equipment to help us power our communities.
“We are committed to keeping disruption to a minimum as our teams work, but I would encourage any customers in vulnerable situations who may be concerned about the impact of these works to join our priority services register, where 24-hour support is available for those who need extra help.”
Customers can qualify for the register if they:
- Are dependent on electricity for home medical care;
- Have a chronic illness or short-term medical condition;
- Are disabled;
- Have special communication needs;
- Have children under the age of five;
- Are over the age of 60.
To register call 0800 294 3259 (or 0800 316 5457 to register using a text phone) or see ssen.co.uk/PriorityServices for more details.
The programme of works is expected to take around 11 weeks to complete. SSEN says its engineers will use mobile generators to maintain power supplies to local businesses, and customers will be notified in advance of any planned interruptions to their electricity supplies as the project progresses.
