A NEW £3MILLION depot providing the central hub for managing and maintaining electricity distribution in Elgin and the surrounding area has been officially opened.
The Scottish and Southern Electricity Network (SSEN) depot will also accommodate teams from SSEN’s transmission operations, staff from SSE’s metering business and SGN – In total 80 staff will work at the new site.
The depot, located at Chanonry Road North, houses SSEN engineers working in supply restoration, network construction, maintenance and inspection and connections.
Local MP Angus Robertson and MSP Richard Lochhead performed the opening before being taken on a guided tour of the depot, where they met with the teams that keep the electricity on for their constituents. This included four Technical Service Trainees, who are at various stages of their training programme.
Angus Robertson MP: “It is great to officially open the depot. Our electricity network is clearly of vital importance to everyone, keeping heating going, the lights on, our hospitals and other key services running, as well as powering all the appliances we all take for granted.
“This multi-million pound investment in Elgin by SSEN will provide a base for 80 people, which is great news for the area and it was great being able to meet some of those staff who are doing critical work to keep the network running every day.”
Richard Lochhead added: “SSEN’s investment in this fantastic new facility in Elgin is good news for Moray. It provides a key link in the chain of sites that keep our electricity supply going and which reacts to issues when they occur.
“Our electricity and gas workers who will be operating from this site help to solve supply problems in all weathers, sometimes working in extremely challenging conditions to keep the lights on. I am very pleased to be involved in the official opening of the depot.”
Dale Cargill, Director of Customer Operations at SSEN, said: “It was great to welcome Mr Robertson and Mr Lochhead to the opening of the depot and to give them a tour around the facility.
“The team in Elgin took real pride in showing them behind the scenes and highlighting the operations that provide their constituents, and our customers, with a safe and secure supply of electricity.
“As we enter winter we are already preparing for possible bad weather and this new depot will play a vital role in helping to keep the lights on for homes and businesses across Moray.”
SSEN has recently launched its Get Ready for Winter campaign, which encourages its customers to be prepared for possible bad weather. More information can be found on its website – www.ssen.co.uk.
People will also be able to use the new single emergency telephone number 105 to report any power cuts.