10 August 2010
A £400,000 project to install about 2km of underground electric cables in a Hertfordshire town is today nearing completion.
The work in Turnford has taken place as a part of a scheme by EDF Energy Networks to replace fluid-filled underground cables with state-of-the-art alternative cabling. The existing cables contain oil as an insulator but new technology means this is no longer necessary so EDF Energy has invested £58million to replace them in the last five years.
Replacing these cables will ensure that residents in the Turnford area benefit from increased reliability of power supplies in future.
EDF Energy Networks engineers carried out work for around two weeks in High Road, Turnford and the necessary road closure ended five days ahead of schedule. It is unlikely that any further delays to traffic will occur while the project is completed but there may be some very short duration traffic management in the area to ensure safety of the workforce and public.
EDF Energy Networks project manager Chris Sugars said: “Our priority is to ensure a reliable supply of electricity to our customers both now and in the future, and these improvement works will help to provide this. The work is a vital part of our commitment to modernise our networks and make sure they continue to be secure.”
EDF Energy Networks is the largest electricity distribution network owner in the UK, covering the East of England, the South East and London and serving over a quarter of the UK's population. It is investing £459million this year in improvement projects on the electricity distribution networks it operates in these three areas.
ENDS
For further information, contact Jessica Gallagher in the EDF Energy press office on 01473 266484.
Notes to editors:
EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies, producing around a fifth of the nation’s electricity from its nuclear, coal and gas power stations, as well as combined heat and power plants and wind farms. The company provides power to a quarter of the UK’s population via its electricity distribution networks and supplies gas and electricity to more than 5.5 million business and residential customers. It is the number one supplier of electricity to major business in the UK.
EDF Energy’s safe and secure operation of its eight existing nuclear power stations at sites across the country makes it the UK’s largest generator of low carbon electricity. EDF Energy is also leading the UK’s nuclear renaissance and has published plans to build four new nuclear reactors, subject to the right investment framework. These new plants would generate enough low carbon electricity for about 40% of Britain’s homes. They would make an important contribution to the UK’s future needs for clean, secure and affordable energy. The project is already creating business and job opportunities for British companies and workers.
Through Our Climate and Social Commitments EDF Energy has launched the biggest environmental and social programme of any UK energy company. EDF is the official energy utilities partner and sustainability partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The company is also helping its customers and others use energy more sustainably through products and initiatives such as Read, Reduce, Reward and Team Green Britain.
EDF Energy is part of EDF Group, one of Europe’s largest power companies. Following the integration with British Energy in 2009, the company employs nearly 20,000 people at locations across the UK.