SSEN has started a £266,000 project to upgrade its electricity network on the east side of Crieff.

This investment is intended to make power supplies more robust and resilient, while also increasing the network's capacity to support the growing use of low-carbon technologies such as electric vehicle chargers and heat pumps.

The project is divided into two main phases. The first phase, which began today, Tuesday, 26 August, involves upgrading more than 1km of the town's existing underground cable network. A new high-voltage cable will be laid from Leadenflower Car Park to the Countess Gardens Substation, with additional cables being laid from Leadenflower Car Park towards East High Street. This phase is expected to be completed in early October.

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The second phase will begin shortly after the completion of the first and is scheduled to be finished by early November. It will involve laying a new cable from Leadenflower Car Park to the Strathearn Terrace Substation. The work also includes the replacement of the East High Street substation with a new, upgraded one at Leadenflower Car Park.

Speaking ahead of the works starting, our Project Manager, Chris Dodds, said: "We're committed to providing a safe, secure and reliable supply of electricity to our customers all year round, and this £266,000 investment will not only help to boost resilience of supplies for our existing customers, it's also designed to take into account the future expansion of homes and businesses in the Crieff area.

"By upgrading over 1km of underground cable and installing a new, upgraded replacement substation, we're not only making the network in this part of Crieff stronger to minimise the risk of power cuts, our project is also going to increase network capacity, which is a major enabler of the country's net zero ambitions as it supports customers as they make the move to low carbon technologies such as EVs and heat pumps."