By Andrew Clarke

Last updated at 11:05, Thursday, 04 October 2012

A MAINS electricity supply will soon be restored to homes in Wasdale Head.

Eleven properties have been without mains power and have been reliant on generators since Christmas Eve last year after a fault occurred on a power cable that runs through Wastwater.

However, the final phase of the project to re-instate the supply to the picturesque village began yesterday.

It will see 1.6km of replacement cable laid under Wastwater – England’s deepest lake at 79 metres. The cable will sit out-of-sight on a contour around 30 metres deep.

Jane Fleetwood, response manager for Electricity North West, said: “It’s an extremely complicated engineering challenge to restore mains power to such a remote and unique location and we’re confident we have a solution that will last.

“We restored power the same day as the fault by providing generators, and it’s taken a lot of planning and background work with local residents and businesses, as well as the council, National Trust and Natural England to reach this stage of the project.

“As with previous phases, we will do everything we can to minimise disruption, keep residents updated and complete the work as safely and quickly as possible.”

The cheapest solution, overhead wires, was ruled out given the location in the Lake District National Park.

Georgina Wrathall, manager at the Wasdale Head Inn, said: “We’re elated that the final phase of the work is now under way. Business is booming at the moment and we have a busy October ahead.

“Disruption is being kept to a minimum so we’re fully open throughout all the work, as are the rest of the businesses in the valley.

“It will be great for guests who have visited while we were on the generators to be able to return and enjoy the real tranquillity that Wasdale Head is renowned for.”

Wasdale Head was first connected to the mains electricity network 35 years ago in 1977 by a cable that ran under the lake.

The initial plan to restore mains power by laying a cable under the road that runs alongside Wastwater was found to be not technically possible due to the ground conditions.

For more information on the project, go to www.enwl.co.uk/wasdale.

First published at 11:06, Thursday, 27 September 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk