National Grid’s new Barking substation
National Grid has energised a 132 kV indoor substation in Barking, East London, to help power homes, businesses, and rail services.
Image credit: National Grid
UK, London: National Grid has energised a 132 kV indoor substation in Barking, East London, to help power homes, businesses, and rail services, including those forming part of the Barking Riverside regeneration of an area formerly occupied by a coal power station. The substation connects the local grid operator UK Power Networks (UKPN) to National Grid’s high voltage transmission network, delivering electricity to 20000 homes in the area. Low carbon transport services are also supported by the substation, with power delivered to a nearby Network Rail feeder station to support electrified train routes.
National Grid worked with its principal contractor Murphy to build the substation and transfer existing circuits and connections to the new facility, which replaces a previous 132 kV facility built on an adjacent site in the 1950s to deliver electricity to the London grid area from the former Barking C power station. The new facility replaces and reinforces the old infrastructure and features 17 bays with room for future upgrades. It is located alongside National Grid’s bigger 275 kV/400 kV substation to boost the resilience of electricity supply in East London as demands grow.
Laura Mulcahy, project director at National Grid Electricity Transmission, said: “Our new Barking substation is a crucial upgrade to the electricity network in East London, and will help future proof it as electricity demand in the capital grows. Barking has played a crucial role powering London since its first power stations were built in the early twentieth century, and with these latest network upgrades our infrastructure in the area will continue to support the energy transition for decades to come. It’s been an exciting project to be a part of, and the team and I are delighted the new Barking substation is fully energised and connected to our network.”
Source: National Grid
