Investment will Power Gloucestershire Town for Generations
Major investment in Gloucestershire’s electricity network will power homes, businesses and vital services for generations to come and help to support the emerging technologies for a net zero future.
The £130,000 investment under the ‘Green Recovery’ initiative has been completed this summer and will add extra capacity to the local electricity network - enough to power the new Forest of Dean Community Hospital in Cinderford and to meet the anticipated surge in demand for electricity from local people. Much of this is expected to come from the growth of low carbon technologies like electric vehicle chargers.
As part of the programme, engineers have laid 500 metres of new cable from Springfield Drive at one end of Cinderford to Oakdean at the other.
Two substations – at Springfield Drive and Globe Inn - have been completely rebuilt, replacing equipment that had been in use for the last 40 years with the latest technologies. The new equipment is designed to last for up to 50 years and to future proof the electricity network for generations of people living and working in Cinderford.
Additional automation has also been installed on the network, allowing engineers to reconnect customers using remote technology, in the event of a power cut. This will speed up the process for resolving power cuts and deliver even better customer service.
Technician Gary King said: “This project will future proof the electricity network for the people of Cinderford. It will not only provide the capacity for the new hospital but will ensure we can connect thousands more low carbon technologies, including electric vehicle chargers, heat pumps and renewable generation, like solar panels, as part of our commitment to support the UK’s net zero ambitions.”
Through the green recovery initiative, we’re investing an extra £60m in our network to support new connections, including green projects, between 2021-2023. This investment will also help to provide a foundation for the emerging technologies needed for a net zero future, while also facilitating green energy development and green jobs across the region.