Westminster Infrastructure Plan: Technical Assessment (2009) WCC

Westminster Infrastructure Plan: Technical Assessment 2006– 2026Final Report3. HARD INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT3.1. Electricity3.1.1. BaselineThe „host‟ provider for the London area is EDF Energy and this is under a licence issuedby OFGEM, the Regulator, for a footprint known as London Power Networks; in essence,the old „London Electricity Board‟ zone. The consultant team met with EDF strategicplanning officers in order to obtain evidence regarding the current capacity of thenetwork, current demand, forecast demand and provision, forecast cost and plannedinvestment. This included presenting the URS Infrastructure Model of future demand inWestminster, details of which are provided in Appendix 3. The information obtained isincluded here; however, this information remains relatively limited despite numerousattempts to engage with EDF.EDF are obliged to manage their network against many criteria but with quality andconsistency being the main „public‟ facing measurements. Typically, this is to provideelectricity at 230V, with a tolerance of +10% -6%, to each residential unit assuming asingle phase intake. Of course, taking this as a given, the expectation is that electricity isavailable at all times of the day and year.Technically, EDF generally take in at 132kV (132,000 volts) and transform this down to33kV or 11kV via major substations located in positions throughout each local authorityarea. From these strategic points, local networks are established to afford connection andinterconnection, maintaining supplies and quality as previously identified. A map of theEDF London Network Development Plan covering Central London is presented in below.November 2009 Page 36