Southern Electric Power Distribution (SEPD) engineers have gone to great heights to complete a £90,000 high-voltage cable refurbishment project to strengthen and secure the local network and help keep the lights on for residents of Poole.
The project, which is part of a £330 million company-wide investment in the network in the next four years, saw the engineers working at heights of up to 35 metres as they refurbished the 9km of overhead network between Mannington and Poole.
Engineers were strapped into special trolleys suspended from the power lines to enable them to negotiate the challenges along the way, including several crossings of the main A31, other roads and forestry, in conditions made more challenging by bitterly cold weather.
SEPD project manager Mac Macdonald explained: “It’s never easy working at these heights in wintry conditions, so we’re really pleased to complete the work on schedule and without any disruption to the local power supplies.”
An essential part of the refurbishment saw the team replace around 1,500 ‘spacers’ – the metal joints which prevent high voltage cables from touching each other in high winds.
Mac added: “Spacers are vital for preventing electricity cables from touching each other, and causing damage – a scenario which is likely to cause power cuts, especially in the cold and windy weather we’ve experienced lately. The spacers on this part of the network were coming to the end of their lifespan, so replacing them will help to keep the lines safe – and the lights on for customers in Poole.”