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Delivery of electricity grid upgrades

Summary

The UK Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Amendment) target to reach net zero in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 will require significant increases in low carbon electricity generating infrastructure. The UK Government has ambitious targets relating to the development of offshore wind, solar energy and onshore wind, as well as a target to fully decarbonise the electricity grid by 2030.

NESO, the electricity system operator for Great Britain, carried out a review of the grid requirements needed to deliver the increase in offshore wind and other low carbon generation. This review reported in July 2022 with Pathway to 2030, which recommended a single, integrated network connecting new offshore wind farms and associated offshore and onshore transmission networks. It was estimated that £54 billion would be needed to deliver the recommendations. In March 2024, the Beyond 2030 update was published that estimated an additional £58 billion of investment will be needed to deliver offshore and onshore network upgrades throughout the 2030s.

NESO published its Clean Power 2030 report in November 2024 to provide independent advice on the pathway towards the government’s ambition to decarbonise the electricity sector by 2030. This concluded that work on upgrading the electricity grid would need to be accelerated if the target was to be met.

Each of the three transmission network operators in GB, National Grid ET, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks and ScottishPower Energy Networks, are committed to delivering the recommendations set out in the Pathway to 2030 report. The report describes the major infrastructure projects either proposed or underway across Great Britain as part of upgrading the transmission network.

In addition to requirements for new electricity transmission infrastructure, developers of all types of low-carbon energy infrastructure have reported long lead times for connection to the GB electricity transmission or distribution networks. In response, the UK Government has introduced its Transmission Acceleration Action Plan and Electricity networks: connection action plan that aim to speed up the delivery of new electricity grid connections.

This briefing describes the current transmission network, demand on the system and planned upgrades.  It also sets out the planning frameworks across GB and proposals to compensate those affected by developments.