Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is running a pilot program to upgrade looped electricity supplies in homes across Swindon, Southampton, Lee-on-Solent, and Ash in Surrey. Looped supplies, common in homes built after 1950, limit capacity for electric vehicle chargers, heat pumps, and solar panels. SSEN offers free upgrades to 1,200 homeowners, addressing a barrier to low-tech adoption. Around 500,000 homes in SSEN's license areas still have looped supplies, representing 16% of properties. The pilot aims to inform customers and remove capacity bottlenecks. This is a practical step for grid decarbonization, as distribution network operators face growing demand from electrification. The article highlights a key infrastructure challenge: many homeowners may not know their connection limits low-carbon tech. SSEN's approach combines upgrade work with customer outreach, a model that could scale to other regions.
