43 Network Projects Recommended for the Next Decade
Neso now recommends 43 network projects for the 2030s, including 16 options absent from its original 2024 forecast. Among the new initiatives is a project to connect windfarms in the Celtic Sea at three points across south Wales and south-west England. The operator says the revision aligns with the UK government’s clean power action plan for 2030, incorporating an accelerated rollout of new low-carbon projects and rising inflation.
The Labour government, which took office two years ago, pledged to make the UK a clean energy superpower by 2030, bringing forward by five years the previous government’s target of a near-zero carbon electricity system by 2035. It aims to double onshore wind capacity, triple solar capacity and quadruple offshore wind capacity by the end of the decade. Offshore wind is producing contrasting investment dynamics internationally: Duke Energy recently terminated its offshore wind lease in the Carolinas while reinvesting $129M in other projects.
National Grid and the Connection Reform
Alice Delahunty, head of National Grid’s transmission business, said the company was « already moving quickly » to upgrade its network and increase capacity, « while keeping a clear focus on consumer value and reducing costs ». She stressed the need for « clear and consistent signals on future network needs, including through connections reform ». National Grid is also developing onshore network plans whose improved maturity would allow faster delivery than previously expected, according to Neso.
Neso has also overhauled the queue of projects seeking grid connection, enabling them to avoid the lengthy delays of the previous system. Rising data centre demand is among the factors that have increased cost projections. Energy minister Michael Shanks described the plan as « a blueprint for where our electricity grid is needed », aimed at powering artificial intelligence and industry while ensuring homes and businesses benefit from clean, homegrown energy.