20 July 2009
Residents in Barrow might be wondering what's happening to their electricity pylons.
Thirty-four huge steel pylons are being taken down and replaced with new by United Utilities as part of a £2 million maintenance project.
The 120ft tall structures were originally built in 1944 and carry one of Barrow's most important power circuits.
United Utilities project manager Bob Law said the work was part of a multi million pound investment and maintennance programme by regional power distribution company Electricity North West to make sure supplies to Barrow's 30,000 customers were as reliable as ever.
The 34 towers run from Lindal and along the A590 into the centre of Barrow near Devonshire Road.
"The towers we are replacing carry electricity at 132,000 volts so they are vital parts of the power network serving Barrow. Keeping them in peak working condition is our job. They have done a great job for 65 years which, considering their coastal position and exposure to salty air, is very good. Our new towers are also made of galvanised steel so hopefully they will see us through for just as many decades," he said.
The power which normally flows through the circuit has been switched off for safety reasons while the work is carried out. Doing the work in summer when demand for power is low means there is more than enough capacity in the rest of Barrow's power network to keep people supplied with the electricity they need.
"The new towers are delivered to us in pieces, a bit like a flat pack. We bolt them into four sections on site. We then cut up the existing towers into four sections and remove it. We use a crane to lower the old sections of tower and hoist the new one into place. With good preparation we can remove a tower and get the new one into place in just a day," added Bob.
Work on the scheme started in mid June and is expected to take until the end of September and is part of Electricity North West's annual maintenance programme to make sure supplies are safe and reliable for the people who use them.
Electricity North West is the North West's regional electricity distribution network and supplies power to 2.3 million homes and businesses in Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and parts of Derbyshire and Cheshire through its network of 13,127 km of overhead lines, 43,126km of underground cables and 38,332 transformers. The day-to-day running and maintenance of the system is contracted to United Utilities.