As part of its award-winning CLASS project, Electricity North West found that installing cutting edge ‘voltage controllers’ in its substations could save customers in the North West around £100 million over the next 25 years – and £300 million across Great Britain.

Detailed research carried out during a 12-month trial has already shown that customers didn’t notice any change in their electricity supply when the voltage controllers were in action. Now, new improved voltage controllers, developed in partnership with Schneider Electric, are being installed in up to 260 major substations across the region which serve nearly 2 million customers, including 30 sites in the Blackburn area.

The company has already installed the equipment at three sites at Middleton, Macclesfield and Willow Bank near Oldham, which each supply around 10,000 customers, with a further 100 sites set to be completed in the next few months.

Steve Cox, engineering and technology director for Electricity North West, said: “We are extremely proud of our award-winning CLASS project and we’re excited that it’s now being rolled out across the North West as it will bring savings to all of our customers.

“The way electricity is generated, delivered and used is changing quicker than ever before and we’re delighted to be at the forefront of this energy revolution.

CLASS makes small reductions in voltage which our customers don’t notice, but these changes mean we can save a significant amount of power for the region and save money for our customers.

“We are always looking at ways we can use new technology to improve our service and this ground-breaking approach can be used to help balance electricity supply and demand for the whole of Great Britain.”

You can find out more about CLASS at www.enwl.co.uk/class.