£100,000 investment will help reduce power cuts in remote Badenoch village
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Power bosses have said that new investment will help to stop power cuts affecting one of Scotland's highest villages in the midst of winter.
Dalwhinnie takes a battering at times from winter storms bringing strong gusts of winds which can bring down lines and poles.
But Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has said this could soon be at an end.
The power giant is about to start carrying out critical work on the overhead power lines around Dalwhinnie.
They pledged that the £100,000 investment will strengthen the local electricity network and reduce the risk of power cuts this winter and for many years to come.
The project involves the replacement of 49 wooden electricity poles and upgrades to the technology along a 46 kilometres route.
Preparation work is now under way before the main, five-week, phase of the project begins on July 7.
SSEN is adjusting the way it works to keep its employees safe whilst ensuring a safe and reliable supply of electricity for its customers.
SSEN project manager David Carson said: “This critical investment is all about making sure our network is in the best possible condition for our customers.
"With the potential for high winds across the Dalwhinnie area, it’s really important that the poles which carry our overhead lines are robust and resilient enough to withstand the gusts when they come.
“As well as replacing the wooden poles along the route, we’re also installing automated equipment which ‘talks’ to our main Control Room and lets the teams there know the exact locations of any faults which may develop.
"It also means they can now turn the power on and off remotely which is a great help in getting our customers’ supplies back on as safely and as quickly as possible.”
All engineering works and workplace activity are being undertaken in accordance with Government guidance, including the use of enhanced PPE with teams adhering to strict social distancing advice as they work.
