West Dorset MP Chris Loder has praised projects making Dorchester greener, which are led by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).

In 2020, SSEN started works on a £2.5 million investment in Dorchester to boost the resilience and strength of the power supply for the more than 12,000 customers supplied by the Dorchester primary substation. The works involved the replacement of transformers and switchboard, and a new layout of the substation.

Located in Lower Trinity Street car park, the works to the substation were necessary to ensure the electricity network in Dorchester could meet forecasted future demand and the uptake of low carbon technologies, like heat pumps and electric vehicles.

Mr Loder said: "It was great to see this level of investment by SSEN in Dorchester's electricity network, and how the investments will benefit my constituents."

Earlier this year, SSEN announced the Lower Trinity Street car park, along with three other sites in Dorset, had been selected for an additional £2.2 million investment. This will support Dorset Council's electric vehicle chargepoint rollout programme and almost 3km of underground cabling will be replaced.

Mr Loder added: "The UK is an international leader on climate change and the green recovery scheme is a welcome intervention in supporting Dorchester's net zero ambitions and getting more electric vehicles on Dorset's roads."

Tim Eccleston, SSEN's project manager for the Dorchester primary substation investment, said: "It was fantastic to host Chris at the site of two SSEN's multi-million pound investments in Dorchester. Both projects are helping deliver different important aspects of the transition to net zero for Dorchester.

"We are really proud to be delivering these investment programmes and the benefits they are unlocking for the people of Dorchester."

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