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Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has completed a £1 million project to ensure a robust and resilient power supply to the islands of Islay and Jura.
Working with Principal Contractor PLPC, SSEN completed upgrade works last week to refurbish the existing overhead network on the Inner Hebridean island of Jura which has been delivering power to the islands for around 60 years.
The electricity network on Jura also serves as the main circuit powering Islay. The £1 million investment saw the replacement of essential equipment on the overhead circuit from Lagg towards Islay which is exposed to salt erosion from coastal air, enhancing the security of supply to the local community.
This project forms part of a multi-million pound programme of investment to upgrade the electricity network serving the islands. SSEN's teams started work in Jura in October 2019 but had to temporarily pause works to replace the submarine electricity distribution cable connecting the island to mainland Scotland.
Ross Fenton, Head of SSEN's South Caledonia region, said: "This project forms part of a long-term investment plan to provide a safe, secure and reliable supply of electricity to homes and businesses in Islay and Jura.
"We're pleased to complete this initial investment and would like to take this opportunity to thank the local community for their patience as we progressed these essential works to deliver a more robust electricity network and improve the service we provide to our customers on the islands."
As part of its north of Scotland resilience plan, SSEN has committed to improve the quality of supply to homes and businesses in areas experiencing more than three power cuts per year, with the latest investments proposed in Islay and Jura.
In addition to the completed works in Jura, SSEN is proposing to install an additional wooden pole overhead line circuit between Port Askaig and Port Ellen, alongside upgrades to the main substations in Islay, to further strengthen the resilience of the network powering homes and businesses on the islands.
