Northern Powergrid is starting a £9m investment programme in Darlington. It is scheduled to start next week and will run until early 2024, and will see work done to replace 48km of high voltage underground electricity cables, dating back to the 1950s, with a more modern alternative. A Northern Powergrid spokesperson said: "This new cabling will be capable of meeting any future increase in the demand for power as the town develops, the population grows and more people swap their cars for electric vehicles." The work, which is being carried out by O’Connor Utilities on Northern Powergrid’s behalf, will involve excavating in the footpath and roadway at locations across the town.