Electricity substation fire disrupts power in Hoddesdon High Street
June 2023Published 28 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- electricity substation off Conduit Lane in Hoddesdon
- Operator
- UK Power Networks
- What
- fire in electricity substation
- Response
- Six fire engines attended; fire out by 2am
- Outcome
- Power disrupted; restored by 9:15am
Get the next one by email
Free alerts on grid infrastructure incidents in the United Kingdom, and an email when EIR-1355 is updated. No account needed; unsubscribe in one click.
Confirm your email and every substation and transformer incident on the register arrives at once as a spreadsheet (CSV), free.
Get a free sample brief Three complete verified records and the incidents-per-GW table, by email within a minute.
We will also email you about the register's paid records and plans, at most once a week and three times in all. You can stop these at any time. By signing up you agree to the privacy policy.
Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): UK Power Networks
What happened
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called at 10:25pm on 14 June 2023 to a fire in an electricity substation off Conduit Lane in Hoddesdon. Six fire engines attended and found the substation well alight. Power to the nearby area was disrupted, including most of the High Street, and Hoddesdon Library was closed the following morning. Firefighters checked that the fire had not spread to neighbouring buildings, ventilated smoke from nearby flats, and worked with UK Power Networks to isolate the supply and extinguish the fire.
The fire was out by 2am. Police reported no damage to businesses or property from the fire. UK Power Networks engineers attended to assess the damage and restore supply. A resident said power was back by 9:15am.
Lessons learned
- Substation fires require joint isolation work with the network operator to prevent spread to nearby buildings.
- Smoke from substation fires can reach adjacent flats, so ventilation must be part of the response plan.
- Substation fires can close public buildings the next day even when no property damage occurs.
More lessons on spacing, layout and fire spread, emergency response and public communication, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Cause of the fire
- Extent of damage to substation equipment
- Age and type of substation assets
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Published 2026-09-28. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
