Canary Wharf is one of the two main financial hubs for London, with nearly 100,000 people working there.  Power is supplied to the area by UK Power Networks, one of the largest Distribution Network Operators in the UK.

West Ferry Circus primary substation is in the heart of the area and comprises a 60-panel, 11kV double busbar switchboard, type Hawkgas 12, originally supplied by South Wales Switchgear. 

Due to predicted load growth in the near future, UK Power Networks was requested to provide extra capacity in the region, which was to be achieved by the addition of a new 66MVA transformer and a new 50-panel, 11kV double busbar switchboard.

In order to reconfigure its network and accept the new transformer and switchboard, the company needed to install four busend boxes (two feeding the new 11kV switchboard and two for temporary interconnectors) on both ends of the switchboard –  two boxes on the front busbars and two boxes on the rear busbars.   

Due to the high-profile nature of the customers and the guaranteed security of supply requirements, a shutdown could not be considered to allow the existing busbar configuration to be inspected. Thus UK Power Networks contacted Switchgear Support Ltd (SSL) to undertake the works, drawing on its knowledge and experience of this switchgear type to ensure pre-installation busbar shutdowns were avoided. 

SSL designed, supplied, installed and commissioned the cable boxes, with the site works being meticulously planned over four consecutive weekends, with one cable box per weekend being installed to fit in with the area’s power requirements.

Photos courtesy of UK Power Networks