Livingston East Electricity Distribution Station

Image: © Ian Dodds Taken: 23 Feb 2021

Taken by holding camera (very tightly!) inside the railings. I am often frustrated by the lack of readily available information about our utilities infrastructure. No doubt this is on the basis that it would facilitate some kind of terrorism. However, due to the fact that these sites, and the overhead powerlines that supply them, are hardly subtle, I don't really have much truck with this argument. There is an overhead powerline that stops about half a mile East of here on the outskirts of Mid Calder. Presumably the cables then go underground into here. From what I can gather, these electricity stations lower the voltage carried by the overhead lines, then feed into the smaller electricity substations found fenced or bricked off in housing estates and business premises, which then lower the voltage again. The outbound voltage from this one is 33kV, which is on the high side for a distribution station according to Wikipedia. I only know this as there was a one of those statutory notices affixed to the entrance gates stating that modifications to the site would be taking place. And possibly already have, as the notice was from a year or two back. Rather like election advertising boards and birthday banners, nobody who puts these notices up seems responsible for taking them down!

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