A £2.2m electrical engineering project by UK Power Networks is underway to upgrade the power network in Shoreditch.
The company which owns and operates London’s electricity network will be extending an underground cable tunnel recently built between the East End and the City.
The work, starting next week, will enhance power connections between several electricity substations and increase the capacity and resilience of electricity supplies.
Engineers will construct a 14metre deep cable shaft and 100metre-long cable tunnel to connect a site in Shoreditch with the existing 2.6km tunnel, completed in March.
Project manager, Richard Leyden, said: “We are preparing for significant development growth over the next decade in Shoreditch and surrounding areas such as Old Street. The work will better allow us to manage existing electricity demand, as well as enable us to meet the future needs of this changing part of London.”
The investment is part of the company’s strategy to develop the electricity network in London, ensuring reliable electricity supplies for homes and businesses into the future.
The work will be taking place within UK Power Networks’ existing electricity substation over the next six months. Work is starting this year ahead of planned works to fit the tunnel with brackets to support the new high voltage cables which will line the sides of the tunnel.
The Shoreditch substation receives electricity at 66,000 volts and converts it to 11,000 volts for delivery to local homes and businesses.
The investment at this site is part of the £360million UK Power Networks is making this year in the electricity networks it owns and operates in London, the South East and East of England.
To read about future improvements visit: http://bit.ly/13G5Bw3.
