Major Upgrade for Southfield Road Electricity Substation
SSEN to invest £5.4million to increase local capacity
Preparations for demolition at the existing site. Picture: SSEN
May 20, 2025
SSEN, the electricity distribution company which provides power to the local area, has announced a major investment in local capacity.
The £5.4 million Southfield Road substation reinforcement project is set to begin this month. SSEN plans to install two new transformers which will be built offsite by contract partner, OCU Group. Using the space within the existing substation site, the transformers will then be connected in a staged sequence to minimise disruption.
The company says that as well as enhancing local network capacity and thereby reducing the risk of power outages for around 20,000 customers in Chiswick and Acton, the investment will support local decarbonisation and economic growth.
The substation, which is not actually on Southfield Road but is to the west of Southfield Recreation Ground between Wilkinson Way and the train tracks, is accessed via Acton Lane by the railway bridge.
The first phase of the project will focus on enabling works, including the demolition of redundant buildings which are already being prepared for removal, before the main electrical works get under way in Autumn of this year.
The upgrade is scheduled for completion in Summer 2026, and forms part of a wider programme of works in West London to reinforce the power infrastructure in the region. SSEN says the project is one of many planned upgrades aimed at future-proofing the network and supporting the transition to low-carbon technologies like EVs, solar panels, and heat pumps.
Matthew Carter, Project Manager at SSEN said, “This reinforcement project is a crucial step in ensuring that our infrastructure can support the growing energy needs of our customers in West London. By installing state-of-the-art transformers, we are enhancing both the safety and capacity of the substation, which will have long-term benefits as we all move towards adopting low-carbon technologies to power our homes, workplaces and public services.”
Joseph Hurling, Senior Project Manager at SSEN added, “We're delighted to see this project begin at the Southfield Road Substation, which is part of a £75m investment programme in our West London electricity network. By upgrading the capacity and technology in our substations and distribution network, we can capture more green energy and power communities and growth with a secure, flexible and resilient electricity supply long into the future.”
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