The 132kV switchgear, the mechanical devices that control the flow of electricity, is being replaced at EDF Energy’s St John’s Wood substation, off Lodge Road, with technology that is being installed to cope with increasing demand.
The company said that the six-year project, which began in 2006, will increase the capacity of the network and the equipment will be modernized. EDF Energy engineers have recently taken delivery of new high voltage equipment which will supply electricity to central and north-west London.
The first phase of work on site began in March 2006 with the installation of a temporary switchboard. The second phase is the refurbishing of the switch house and installation of the first stage of new switchgear.
The tests and connections will take place before the transfer of supplies from the old equipment to the new. The final phase of the project will involve further refurbishing work and switchgear replacement, work which will eventually see all of the existing switchgear replaced by 2012.
Brian Finch, EDF Energy Networks site manager, said: Everything went smoothly with the delivery of the new equipment. We will be installing and testing the switchgear over the next few months. We will then connect it into London’s electricity distribution network, with the first supplies in use later this year.
