A bumper £17m Blackpool power grid investment continues to progress as key delegates from Ofgem and parliament visited the developing site.
SP Electricity North West engineers say ‘work is progressing well’ at its 132,000-volt substation located on Peel Road in Blackpool.
The project, which is seeing a complete overhaul of the electrical assets, is expected to last until 2027 and with such a large-scale project well underway, Andrew Snowden, MP for Fylde along with Ofgem chair Mark McAllister visited the site to learn more about the key benefits the upgrade will bring, which includes doubling the current capacity.
Paul Killilea, asset and investment director for SP Electricity North West, said: “The £17m investment we are making is a significant commitment to strengthening, upgrading and modernising the power network on the Fylde coast.
“It was pleasing to welcome key delegates from Ofgem, including its chair Mark McAllister, alongside Andrew Snowden MP, as they could see first-hand the scale of investment that’s happening in the region.
“Projects of this scale are essential to maintaining a resilient and reliable power supply for homes, businesses and communities across the region. Further work is still to be carried out, however, we look forward to delivery long-term benefits for the Fylde coast.”
The substation currently provides power to more than 85,000 homes and properties throughout the Fylde Coast.
SP Electricity North West’s investment work means more power will be available for the local area, boosting industry, connecting renewable energy to the grid and enabling residents and businesses to connect more technology like electric vehicles, solar and heat pumps in future.
“It was valuable to visit the Peel substation and see first-hand the progress being made on this important investment,” added Ofgem chair Mark McAllister.
“Upgrades like this are vital to modernising Great Britain's electricity network, ensuring homes and businesses continue to receive the reliable power they depend on, while creating the capacity needed to support economic growth, electric vehicle charging and the wider transition to a cleaner energy system powered by home-grown energy.
“At Ofgem, we're focused on ensuring network companies make the investments needed to get power to the people and businesses that need it, when they need it - whilst ensuring the best deal for consumers. This visit demonstrated the important role projects like this can play in supporting local communities today while preparing the network for the future.”
The current work taking place was part of a load re-opener submission which SP Electricity North West submitted to Ofgem in January 2025.
Andrew Snowden MP supported the load re-opener document and said: “I was pleased to support this investment when it was put forward and to visit the site to see the significant progress being made. Reliable electricity infrastructure is essential for our communities, businesses and local economy, and this upgrade will help ensure the network is fit for the future.
“This project represents a major investment in the area and will deliver long-term benefits for residents and businesses across the Fylde coast. It is encouraging to see the work progressing well and I look forward to seeing the project completed.”
