UK Power Networks has refurbished the Finsbury Market substation in central London as part of a £483,000 investment. The site near Liverpool Street includes two transformers that were improved during the work, which the electricity firm says gives existing equipment a new lease of life.
The upgrade is intended to improve reliability and strengthen power supplies for the busy area for years to come, UK Power Networks said. The company described the substation as essential infrastructure serving local businesses and residents.
Transformer work and site improvements
The project covered the pair of transformers and included painting as part of the refresh. Chanelle Mistry, UK Power Networks project manager, said the investment was giving vital infrastructure a new lease of life. She said refurbishing and maintaining the two transformers would help strengthen the local electricity network and improve reliability for the businesses and residents that depend on it every day and into the future.
Street art on the perimeter
While the equipment work took place inside the compound, the outside became a canvas for creatives at Global Street Art. Street artist Nelio Riga used the wall as the backdrop for a new project, and Global Street Art brought the red-brick wall to life. The organisation is described as Europe’s leading producers of hand-painted advertising and public art murals.
Mistry said UK Power Networks was pleased to see the outside of the site transformed through the artwork, which she said would help brighten the local area. Dr Lee Bofkin, co-founder of Global Street Art, said working with UK Power Networks and Broadgate Quarter on the prominent site supported the organisation’s mission to “live in painted cities”. He thanked those involved, said he frequently walks past the walls, and added that it was great to see the project well received.