PUSH-BUTTON technology will help prevent major electricity blackouts across East Lancashire, thanks to a £20million investment.

Power company United Utilities is hoping the improvements will reduce the effect of faults on weaker parts of the North West's electricity network.

Control engineers in Manchester will be able to restore lost power to customers across the area at the touch of a button, following what is the largest ever automation programme by a regional electricity company.

Many of United Utilities' cables are high altitude, overhead lines supplying customers in rural or remote locations and can be affected by severe weather.

Now, engineers have begun installing automation and remote control equipment at 2,000 key points on the worst performing high voltage circuits. The first 100 'black box' devices will be operating by the New Year.

In addition, a further 200 devices used by United Utilities for trial purposes remain in place, having proved that the technology works. About half the sites are in Cumbria, which traditionally bears the brunt of the worst winter weather. But rural areas in and around Blackburn, Clitheroe and Burnley are a key part of the scheme.

The remote control equipment alerts engineers when faults occur, usually during gales and blizzards, allowing them to re-route the supply until the fault can be repaired.

Alan Jones, general manager of United Utilities electricity network improvement, said: "It is amazing that a control engineer in Manchester can push a button to operate a switch at the top of a pole in the Cumbrian mountains or East Lancashire and restore power to hundreds of properties.

"Previously, someone had to travel miles to the switch, often in snowdrifts or floods or on roads blocked by fallen trees. But the variety of our network demanded that we also develop equipment that will work in a cellar in central Manchester or Carlisle."

Service to some customers has been enhanced already, but the major benefits will come in 2003-04. The project is part of United Utilities' £38 million plan to boost its electricity performance by 30 per cent over two years, while improving efficiency by the same amount.