£15.6 million East Ham substation upgrade completed

UK Power Networks has completed a £15.6 million upgrade at Nelson Street substation in East Ham, doubling capacity to strengthen resilience and meet rising electricity demand across East Ham and Barking.

Delivered with Clancy, the project replaced legacy equipment with three new 132kV transformers weighing 54 tonnes each and a new 11kV switchboard. The site has now been energised, marking a key milestone in a programme launched in 2020 to build a smarter, more reliable network for thousands of local residents.

Throughout the works, information hoardings were used around the site to keep neighbours informed, with updates provided in English and local languages including Urdu and Hindi.

Awaise Umar, Project Manager at UK Power Networks, commented, "This £15.6 million investment is a pivotal step towards ensuring a more resilient and efficient energy network for East London.

“By integrating state-of-the-art equipment and increasing the site's firm capacity, we are not only addressing current demands but also future-proofing our infrastructure to support the region's growth and sustainability goals."

Tony Campbell, Site Manager at Clancy, added, “This upgrade demonstrates the power of effective partnership in strengthening vital community infrastructure. Working closely with UK Power Networks, our teams navigated complex engineering challenges and delivered enhanced capacity for East London. We’re proud to play a role in supporting the region’s ambitions for growth, sustainability and energy resilience.”