SSEN to Invest £200m in Oxfordshire Power Grid Modernization

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has announced a significant investment of £200 million to modernize the electricity distribution network in Oxfordshire, UK. This ambitious project, set to commence later this spring, aims to future-proof the region's infrastructure, ensuring it can support the growing demand for electricity from homes, businesses, and public services for years to come. The investment is part of a broader effort to enhance the resilience and capacity of the local electricity network, aligning with the UK's broader energy transition goals and the region's sustainability targets.

The £200 million investment will focus on several key areas, including the installation of multiple sections of cable underground, support for low carbon technologies, and modernisation work. These upgrades are designed to enhance the resilience and capacity of the local electricity network, providing a more secure, flexible, and reliable electricity supply for approximately 270,000 homes and businesses.

One of the key technological advancements planned as part of this investment is the installation of multiple sections of cable underground. This initiative is part of the project's plan to future-proof the network and prevent disruption in the future. By putting cables underground, SSEN ensures that the network is ready to support forthcoming connections without the need for repeated work in the same areas. As Carl Pates, SSEN’s Oxfordshire Project Director, stated, "One of the ways in which we are doing this is to plan years ahead and take steps now to prevent disruption in the future, such as our project to put multiple sections of cable under the ground at the start of these works. This will be future-proofed and ready to support forthcoming connections to the network, so we’ll only need to work in some areas once, with no need to return each time a new connection is added."



The investment will also support the connection of low carbon technologies such as EV chargers and heat pumps. This aligns with regional and national sustainability targets and enables the production of more clean, green energy for local use. The upgrade will also support new renewable community and small-scale generation like solar, further enhancing the network's capacity to handle future demand.

The infrastructure upgrades will ensure that 270,000 homes and businesses benefit from a more secure, flexible, and resilient electricity supply. This is crucial for meeting the needs of the area long into the future. As the investment aims to support sustainable economic growth, it will futureproof the area’s network to support innovation, technology, and jobs. This is particularly important given Oxfordshire's commitment to delivering 100,000 homes by 2031 and creating 86,500 jobs.

The project will also involve modernisation work and cable replacement, which will be more visible in some areas. However, efforts will be made to minimise disruption during the process. Much of the work will take place within existing substation sites, which will have very little impact on neighbouring communities. This approach ensures that the upgrades are carried out considerately, with as little impact as possible on the local area.

In summary, SSEN's £200 million investment in Oxfordshire's power grid is a significant step towards achieving the UK's net-zero emissions goal by 2050. It supports decarbonisation, increases electricity capacity, improves network resilience, supports sustainable economic growth, and aligns with national and regional sustainability targets. The specific technological advancements and infrastructure upgrades planned as part of this investment include underground cable installation, support for low carbon technologies, and modernisation work. These upgrades will enhance the resilience and capacity of the local electricity network by providing a more secure, flexible, and resilient electricity supply, supporting sustainable economic growth, and future-proofing the network to meet future demand.