A MULTI-MILLION pound project to improve the electricity network serving North London, gets underway at the end of this month with the upgrading of the Bushey Mill Lane sub-station in Watford.

The upgrade, being conducted by utility network operator 24seven, was initiated and will be partially funded by telecoms provider Energis, which requires a connection capable of providing 15,000 kilowatts of electrical power to supply its telephone and internet switching facilities in the area.

24seven is enlarging the capacity of the sub-station to secure this and future supplies. The current site, which serves around 200,000 customers, has reached full capacity.

The £3m project will increase the sub-station's output by two-thirds, with the construction of two new grid transformers and installation of a new 11,000 volt switchboard. It is scheduled for completion in December 2002.

24seven is liaising with the Environment Agency over the project as the site is within a flood plain and is close to the River Colne.

The construction work will include raising the transformers an additional 1.5m above ground level and building flood-prevention measures around the control room. These measures should prevent a recurrence of last autumn's flooding of the control room and equipment by the River Colne.

This is the third large-scale network project announced by 24seven for the Watford area in recent weeks.

October 30, 2001 15:30