Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is working with Hampshire County Council on improvement projects in Bordon, East Hampshire, with a multi-million pound infrastructure upgrade to the town's electricity network set to begin in spring 2023. The preparatory stage of SSEN's works ran from Monday 7 November to Monday 5 December 2022 on Chalet Hill, the High Street and Budds Lane1.
That first stage was valued at £400,000 and was described by SSEN as paving the way for the larger upgrade to follow1. SSEN said the investment would boost both the resilience and flexibility of the network supplying the town's homes and businesses, which it said has over 16,000 residents1. The two organisations co-ordinated their schemes to reduce disruption for people living and working in the town, with Hampshire County Council following SSEN with work on its Arrival Square Improvements scheme1.
"Our team is delighted to be working with Hampshire County Council to co-ordinate these important pieces of work that will boost the town of Bordon. As a considerate constructor, SSEN takes great care in the planning of any of its works to make sure that any possible disruption is kept to the very minimum."
Traffic management was in place throughout the preparatory works, but SSEN said routes remained open at all times for residents and businesses, with access to properties maintained1. No power interruptions were scheduled during the works1. SSEN also reminded anyone with concerns about vulnerability during power cuts of its free Priority Services Register, open to customers who are deaf or hard of hearing, have a disability, live with children under five, are blind or partially sighted, have a chronic illness, use medical equipment or aids reliant on electricity, are over 60, or temporarily need extra support1.
SSEN is the electricity Distribution Network Operator for central southern England and the north of Scotland, serving over 3.8 million homes and businesses1. It said it invests over £150 million a year in building resilience across its network, including around £20 million a year on tree cutting and maintenance, over £12 million on refurbishing overhead lines and over £2 million on Automated Devices to restore supplies faster after a fault1.
Why it matters for households
The upgrade concerns the electricity distribution network that physically delivers power to homes in Bordon. Reinforcement of local cables and substations affects how much load the network can carry and how quickly supplies can be restored after a fault, which bears on a household's practical energy independence: the ability to keep the lights on and run appliances, including medical equipment, without interruption. SSEN's stated aim of boosting resilience and flexibility points to a network being prepared for changing local demand, though the company has not reported what specific capacity or reliability improvements the Bordon works will deliver. Households that depend on electricity for medical reasons can register for SSEN's priority services, which apply during power cuts rather than during planned works, since none were scheduled. For anyone in the area considering a new connection or an upgrade to their own supply, the process is separate from this scheme and is set out in the guidance on applying for an electricity supply upgrade.
What happens next
The multi-million pound infrastructure upgrade is set to begin in spring 2023, following the preparatory works completed on 5 December 20221. SSEN has not reported a start date within spring 2023, an end date, or the final value of the main works.