Major upgrade work on Holme Valley electricity supply

Apr 18 2009 By Nick Lavigueur

POWER supply upgrade work has begun in the Holme Valley in a bid to cut out blackouts.

Electricity staff have started work on a costly, major scheme to reinforce the electricity supply to Meltham, Honley and Netherthong after the area was blighted with multiple power cuts earlier this year.

In January about 300 Netherthong homes were affected by intermittent power cuts, some of which lasted 11 hours, and children at Netherthong Primary School were sent home.

The problems were caused by a series of simultaneous faults in overhead and underground power lines which needed extensive repairs.

A spokeswoman for CE Electric UK said following the problems engineers had now surveyed overhead lines in the area and developed a plan of works to improve the reliability of the supply.

Last week field staff from the company started work on the first phase of the scheme, trimming back trees which had grown into power lines and renovating electricity equipment.

The second phase of work, to start in the summer, involves digging up old cables and should be complete by the end of the year.