£100,000 investment to revamp Littlehampton and Wick’s power supply

New overhead electricity lines and poles will be installed to serve five Littlehampton streets, thanks to a £100,000 injection by UK Power Networks.

The company is replacing more than a mile of bare four-wire power lines with new covered conductors wires called aerial bundled conductors.

It is hoped that once the new lines are installed it will increase the reliability and safety of power supplies. As the wires are covered they will be protected from environmental disturbances, such as branches blowing against the line which should help to lower the number of power cuts, during storms or windy weather.

The project was launched on Monday in Elmgrove Road, Stanhope Road, Grove Crescent, Sandfield Avenue and Seaton Road areas. It will also see 17 wooden poles, which the power lines are strung between, replaced, along with some of the individual service lines which connect each property to the mains in the street.

Senior project manager Allen Aldridge said: “An inspection of our network revealed it was time to renew some of the equipment which delivers electricity to homes and businesses. Electricity networks are robust and they are built to last, particularly in the salt air found at the seaside which can cause corrosion and damage. But occasionally parts of our network need rebuilding.

“Everyone depends on electricity to go about their daily routine so this is essential work. As the owner and operator of the electricity network for a quarter of Britain’s population, we will invest what is necessary to ensure our electricity networks remain safe and reliable for our customers into the future.”

UK Power Networks is investing more than £9.2m on improving the region’s electricity.