Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has announced a £200m ($258m) investment to upgrade the electricity distribution network in Oxfordshire, UK.

The initiative, set to start in early 2025, aims to futureproof the region’s infrastructure, ensuring it can support homes, businesses, and public services for years to come.

The upgrade programme will be carried out over the next few years, focusing on areas such as Oxford, Headington, and Yarnton.

This project, in collaboration with OCU Group, will ensure the local network has the capacity and resilience needed to handle future demand while supporting cleaner energy goals, the company said.

The upgraded system will ensure that approximately 270,000 homes and businesses enjoy a more reliable and adaptable electricity supply.

The project also aligns with Oxfordshire's broader development plans, which include delivering 100,000 new homes and creating 86,500 jobs by 2031.

The energy company noted that much of the work will occur within existing substation sites, which will have little impact on neighbouring communities.

In other areas, modernisation and cable replacement will be more visible, but efforts will be made to minimise disruption during the process.

SSEN Oxfordshire project director Carl Pates said: “As our customers move away from fossil fuels and look to renewable electricity to power and heat their homes, cars, technology and workplaces, we need to make sure the electricity system has the capacity and resilience to support these ambitions.

“Through this £200m investment, we’ll support these national, regional and local growth ambitions, and ensure that the power our customers need now and in the future is in the right place at the right time.

“This project will have a positive impact on the local area, and it will be carried out considerately, so the works themselves have as little impact as possible on neighbouring communities.”

In December last year, SSEN Transmission committed £22bn to grid infrastructure from 2026 to 2031.