Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for the electricity network that powers everyday life for 8 million people across 3.9 million homes and businesses in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, is starting a £200,000 investment programme to improve the reliability and resilience of the electricity network serving Sowerby Bridge.
Starting in mid-July 2021, the work focuses on replacing sections of high and low voltage underground electricity cables dating back to the 1950s with more modern and sustainable alternatives. This new equipment will be capable of meeting any future increase in the demand for power as the population grows and more people swap their cars for electric vehicles.
The work, which is being carried out by Freedom Group on Northern Powergrid’s behalf, will involve excavating in the roadway and/or footpath to lay the new cables.
The first section of work starts Monday 12 July and runs until Friday 27 August 2021 on the A646 Burnley Road, Friendly from Northern Powergrid’s substation opposite the junction of Water Lane to just before the junction of South View. Northern Powergrid has worked closely with Calderdale Council to minimise the impact of this work which is why it has been scheduled to be mostly of it is being carried out during the school holiday period.
The work will be carried out using Multi-way traffic lights will be used and which will be manned between 07:00 and 19:00 each day. Some on-road parking bays will be temporarily suspended, but pedestrian access will be maintained at all times and Northern Powergrid will ensure that any businesses affected can make arrangements to continue to receive their deliveries.
A further section of work will take place later in the year on Timmey Lane in Friendly. This will require a two-day road closure, although access will be maintained from both ends of the road. Northern Powergrid will release further information once the dates for this work have been confirmed.
Northern Powergrid is committed to keeping local people informed and will be writing to everyone directly affected to let them know what is happening and when.
Michelle Jeffery, Northern Powergrid’s Customer Service Manager for the West Yorkshire region, said:
“We’re always very aware of the potential impact of our work on people’s everyday lives, which is why we’re doing all we can to support and communicate with local peoplethe local community while we carry out this important investment in the area’s electricity network.
“We’ll be issuing information to all affected customers and our letters will also provide details of how to sign up for free to our Priority Services Membership which offers extra support to customers who may be more vulnerable.
“While we progress with our work in the area, we’ll be following the latest government advice to keep our employees, contractors and customers safe and our work will be carried out in line with the latest COVID-19 health and safety guidance. With this in mind, we’re asking customers not to approach our teams if they see them working unless it’s an electricity emergency – and, if they do, to always maintain social distancing.”
People can also find out more about this investment work on the company’s website northernpowergrid.com(external link) or by contacting the company’s customer care team on 0800 011 3332. The network operator is also available 24/7 on Facebook and Twitter.
To translate information into another language, people can click the Accessibility icon at the top of all Northern Powergrid’s web pages or call its language line on 0800 389 8204.
People who find it difficult to speak or hear can use text phone 0800 028 9507 or text relay: dial 18001 followed by 0800 169 2996.
Those who are visually impaired can click the Accessibility icon at the top of Northern Powergrid’s web pages to change font sizes and colours or click the Recite Me icon to have information read out to them. People can also sign up to receive communications in larger print or Braille by calling the Powergrid Care Team on 0800 169 2996.
For information about joining the electricity distributor’s free Priority Services Membership visit northernpowergrid.com/care(external link) or call 0800 169 2996.