A £500,000 upgrade has been announced for an island which has one of the “most remote and isolated” electricity network in Scotland.
Engineers from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) are planning major work to strengthen the main overhead line that supplies electricity to around 80 customers on of Fetlar in Shetland.
The project includes the installation of additional lightning protection on the line and the replacement of 109 lightweight wood poles with heavy-duty poles.
An open evening will be held at Fetlar Hall on Wednesday, November 16, between 4pm and 7pm about the work.
Engineers will use mobile generators to keep disruption to a minimum.
The programme is expected to take around 4-6 weeks to complete in total, depending on the weather conditions.
George Priest, SSEN’s Shetland operations manager, said: “The island of Fetlar is one of the most remote and isolated parts of our network in the north of Scotland.
“To ensure we are minimising interruptions to our customers’ electricity supply, we are committed to investing in the network through this major refurbishment programme.
“We want to ensure customers are informed before we carry out this work and would like to extend an invitation to everyone in Fetlar to find out more about what we’re doing at our open evening on Wednesday 16 November. We will be delighted to answer questions; and receive any comments, suggestions or feedback.
“Our priority is to provide a secure and safe electricity supply for our customers and we understand how important this is to small island communities.”