Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) began a £10.6 million programme of works to upgrade its network for customers in Alton and Bordon on 1 May 2023, with the works scheduled to run until September 20241. The distribution operator says the investment is intended to future-proof and strengthen the area's power supplies to cope with severe weather events and to accommodate greater uptake of low carbon technologies, such as electric vehicles, solar panels and heat pumps1.
The programme includes building a new substation in Bordon and upgrading substation connections, alongside the replacement of 18 kilometres of existing underground power cables and associated infrastructure with more modern, sustainable and efficient equipment1. The works begin from the Alton substation, proceed to Oakhanger Road and then across to the new Bordon substation on the eastern outskirts of the town1. This phase follows £400,000 of preparatory works completed in Bordon in November of the previous year1.
Two community events were held ahead of the works so that local householders, business owners and stakeholders could meet the SSEN team and find out more about the investment1:
| Event | Date and time | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Alton | Wednesday 19 April, 3pm to 7pm | Meeting Room, Alton Community Centre, Amery Street, Alton, GU34 1HN1 |
| Bordon | Saturday 22 April, 10am to 3pm | The Shed, Sergeants Yard, Bordon, GU35 0DJ1 |
Anthony Horne, SSEN's Project Manager for the works, said:
"My team and I are delighted to now be progressing this £10.6 million project after completing the first phase of preparatory works late last year. As a considerate constructor, we have been working closely with stakeholders and local partners to ensure that we can carry out and complete this upgrade with the least inconvenience to customers living and working nearby."
SSEN states there are no planned power interruptions scheduled to take place during the works1. It adds that some traffic management systems will have to be in place at certain points, and that these measures have been planned with Highways England and Hampshire County Council to minimise the potential for noise or disruption1. A project page has been set up to give full information on the works as they progress1.
Why it matters for households
The works are aimed at the capacity and resilience of the local distribution network rather than at generation or supply contracts, so they do not change who supplies a home's electricity or what it costs. What they address is the physical headroom available on the network in the Alton and Bordon area. SSEN's stated purpose is to accommodate greater uptake of low carbon technologies including electric vehicles, solar panels and heat pumps1, all of which add demand or two-way flows at the point where a property connects. For a household considering such equipment, the condition of the local network is one of the practical constraints on what can be connected, alongside the property's own wiring and any connection agreement. The replacement of 18 kilometres of underground cables and the new Bordon substation are the kind of assets that determine how much load the area can carry and how quickly faults can be restored after severe weather1.
SSEN also reminds customers that its Priority Services Register is free and open to households that meet its eligibility criteria, which include being deaf or hard of hearing, having a disability, living with children under five, being blind or partially sighted, having a chronic illness, using medical equipment or aids reliant on electricity, being over 60, or temporarily needing extra support1. More detail on the operator's network and the support it offers is set out in the site's guide to SSEN: Networks, Storms and Priority Services, within the wider national supply section.
What happens next
The programme runs from 1 May 2023 until September 20241. SSEN says there are no planned power interruptions during the works, and that traffic management will be used at certain points1. No further dates for specific stages of the work have been reported.