National Grid will invest £1.2bn through its UK supply chain partners to deliver upgrades across 1,000km of overhead line routes.
The UK government has set itself the lofty goal of entirely decarbonising the UK’s energy grid by 2030. However, this requires the country’s electricity infrastructure to be significantly expanded and upgraded.
In this next phase of its Electricity Transmission Partnership (ETP), National Grid has appointed five delivery partners – Balfour Beatty, M Group, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, Murphy and OTW – to carry out major overhead line upgrades across England and Wales.
An initial £1.2bn of reconductoring projects will cover over 1,000km of overhead line routes. Reconductoring involves upgrading existing lines with newer spec materials so they can carry more electricity, making best use of infrastructure already in place.
This latest announcement builds on the ETP’s first phase for substations announced last summer. It’s a long-term, collaborative approach that adopts a different way of working between National Grid and its suppliers, with the aim of strengthening the UK supply chain, encouraging long-term investment, and supporting the development of local skills.
National Grid says that though working this way with its partners, it can plan further ahead, share expertise and apply consistent standards and innovation across projects.
Alice Delahunty, president of electricity transmission at National Grid, said: “Upgrading our existing network is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to increase capacity and strengthen resilience, alongside the vital role of building new infrastructure to meet growing demand.
“Through our ETP, we’re delivering critical investment in the network while supporting skilled jobs, strengthening UK supply chains and helping to power long-term economic growth.”
Peter Kirk, managing director – energy at Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, said: “Bringing together substations and overhead lines under the ETP is a natural step as we upgrade critical transmission infrastructure. This will help ensure our National Grid can meet growing demand and remain secure when it matters most. We’re proud to be investing in the people and skills needed to deliver these upgrades now, and to maintain them for the future.”
This latest ETP programme forms a key part of National Grid’s plan to invest £31bn in “unprecedented” upgrades to the UK’s power network. These infrastructure plans to March 2031 include upgrades to approximately 3,500km of existing overhead lines.