Torbay’s electricity grid gets £7m boost

Tens of thousands of Torbay residents are to benefit from a multi-million-pound investment in the area’s electricity network.

Our engineers have completed the complex rebuild of a major substation in Torquay so it can meet future demand and ensure the reliability of supplies for decades to come.

The £7 million investment includes two new 60-tonne transformers – each weighing the equivalent of five double decker buses – installed to replace ones dating from the 1960s.

The transformers, which took two days to be transported on low-loaders from their manufacturers based in the Midlands, will be quieter and need less maintenance than their predecessors.

Engineers have also installed new circuit breakers, switchgear, cabling and equipment buildings at the Barton Hill Way substation, which is known as a bulk supply point (BSP). A substation is where electricity is transformed from higher to lower voltages for distribution to homes and businesses.

The Torquay BSP provides the electricity needed for Torquay and parts of Kingskerswell, including demand during the peak tourism season.

The upgrade of the BSP has been a complex engineering project which has taken five years to plan and construct. A team of 12 staff – including design specialists, civil engineers and electrical engineers – have delivered the project, supported by contractors.

Tom Weekes, Head of Major Projects for the South West, said: “Around 40,000 homes and businesses will be served by this vital upgrade which will boost reliability, capacity and future-proof our high voltage network.

“This is an important strategic long-term project. It will mean customers will be able to connect EV chargers, heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage more readily and it will enable local businesses to grow.”

We are investing £1.4 billion in the South West’s electricity network in the five years to 2028, reinforcing and upgrading infrastructure to support growth, resilience and the transition to clean energy.