Our RIIO-T3

Regional Reports

During 2023 we built up our plan region by region. We convened regionally focused workshops, bringing together local organisations, councils and businesses, alongside other network companies and NESO. We gathered perspectives and co-created our network plans

We recognise that these ‘regions’ do not fully reflect the geographic or administrative borders that one might expect to see. This is because in defining these regions we have also had to consider electrical factors such as power transfers and access for planned outages. However we have aligned to DNO and Local Authority boundaries where feasible to do so.

We will be publishing our Regional Future Network Blueprints here in the coming days. These will show the more detailed stakeholder input, vision, network plans, trade-offs and decisions, and we will continue to work with our stakeholders on these throughout the next five years.

North West

£1.3bn of investment to maintain, upgrade and develop our network

5 major substation interventions across the region, including an extension at Ince and a rebuild at Capenhurst

Connecting 1.6 GVA of demand for rail services (c. 170 MVA) and capacity for distribution networks and their customers (1.4 GVA)

2.6 GW of new low carbon electricity generation is expected to connect, including 2.1 GW of battery storage and 450 MW of offshore wind

Reconductoring 326 km of overhead line (OHL) – 19% of total OHL in the region

Six new supergrid transformers to support demand connections and maintain network reliability, including at Penwortham and Carrington.

We are extending our Middleton substation to connect new clean power sources and support growth in demand and generation on Electricity North West’s distribution network. This will provide the site with capacity to connect customers more quickly in the future.

Map is illustrative. New build and some upgrades are at various stages of development and planning. The lines shown here should therefore not be regarded as defined or proposed routes but reflective of various required reinforcements published by NESO. Includes baseline and pipeline projects. Major site strategy includes existing substations where we plan a rebuild or significant extension (> £20m). Does not include new tCSNP2 circuits onshore and offshore which are subject to the outcome of NESO’s tCSNP2 refresh.

Overview of this network region

Our network needs to support demand that is forecast to double by 2050 as heat, transport and industry continue to electrify. Growth in technologies like artificial intelligence means larger scale, energy- intensive computing infrastructure, and the decarbonisation of traditional industries.

The task is similar to that of the 1950s when our predecessors embarked on a decade-long programme to build a supergrid with the capacity to support future innovations. We plan to do the same. We are working to design and deliver the strategic upgrades needed, through the Great Grid Upgrade and Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI).

Our plan allows the electricity from 50 GW of offshore wind to flow across the country, and provides capacity for 35 GW of generation and 19 GVA of demand customers to connect. We have developed our investments with an eye to the future, creating a further 26 GW of options that can connect new customers quickly.

As the third most populated UK region, its energy needs are significant. Net zero ambitions from both the Greater Manchester and Liverpool combined authorities are anticipated to be achieved through growth in local renewable energy and reduced transport emissions, as well as through the flagship HyNet North West project which aims to unlock a low carbon economy in the region.

As energy demands increase in the North West, our major site strategies and upgrades to existing overhead line circuits will boost network capacity and support the region’s clean electricity targets.

North East

£8.6bn of investment to maintain, upgrade and develop our network

Five new power flow control installations across four major routes to boost north-south power transfer, maximising the potential of our existing infrastructure

Reconductoring 831 km of overhead line (OHL) – 25 per cent of total OHL in the region

Connecting 1.6 GVA of demand for data centres (>900 MVA), gigafactories (>500 MVA) and capacity for distribution networks and their customers (180 MVA)

3 major substation interventions across the region

9.9 GW of new generation is expected to connect, including c.5 GW of offshore wind and >1 GW of battery storage

10 new supergrid transformers to support demand connections and help maintain network reliability and including at Blyth and Lackenby

Our Great Grid Upgrade projects Yorkshire GREEN, Grimsby to Walpole, North Humber to High Marnham, and Eastern Green Links 1, 2 3 and 4 will help connect new low carbon projects, boost energy security and power the region with clean, more affordable electricity.

Our Grimsby to Walpole project will be replacing the existing Grimsby West with a new substation. The work will connect new generation, add capacity to support growth in Northern Powergrid’s distribution network and boost the reliability and resilience of electricity supply in the region.

Overview of this network region

This network region reflects the geographical area of the North East, but includes some network from parts of neighbouring regions.

The North East is an industrial heartland and home to vital manufacturing sectors including the chemical, pharmaceutical and steel sectors. Sunderland is well known for its car manufacturing plant, which has been producing electric vehicles for over a decade.

With initiatives like Humber Zero, the region is positioning itself as key to the UK’s hydrogen strategy, which aims for 10 GW of low carbon hydrogen by 2030.

The region is also at the forefront of the UK’s rapidly growing carbon capture industry, including the East Coast Cluster which aims to remove 50 per cent of the UK’s industrial cluster CO2 emissions.

These developments, plus offshore wind connections such as Hornsea and Dogger Bank, mean upgrades to the network are required to transport clean, renewable electricity to homes and businesses.

Wales

8 major substation interventions across the region

Our Pentir to Trawsfynydd project, part of our Great Grid Upgrade, will upgrade the existing network in North Wales. We will also develop design for a new circuit between North and South Wales, and between North Wales and Scotland, as recommended in NESO’s Holistic Network Design (HND)

3 new substations, including at Llandyfaelog (see case study below

14 new supergrid transformers to support demand connections and help maintain network reliability, including at Margam and Pembroke

£3.2bn of investment to maintain, upgrade and develop our network

3.1 GW of new low carbon electricity generation is expected to connect, including 2.4 GW of offshore wind, >300 MW of onshore wind and 60 MW of tidal power

Reconductoring 387 km of overhead line (OHL) – 24% of total OHL in the region

3 GVA of demand for connections including electric arc furnaces, data centres and electrolysis.

We are proposing a new substation at Llandyfaelog to provide a grid supply point and wind power connection. We are working with National Grid Electricity Distribution to understand capacity constraints in South Wales and future- proofing capacity for demand increase and clean power in the region.

Overview of this network region

This network region reflects the geographical area of the country of Wales, but with some network included and excluded from parts of neighbouring regions.

The Welsh Government has set a target for Wales to meet 100 per cent of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2035 and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, ambitions which signal a significant energy transition for the country. With abundant wind and marine resources, and scope for future nuclear development at Wylfa, North Wales aims to become a net exporter of low carbon electricity, while a new generation of floating offshore wind farms are proposed off the South Wales coast.

Wales’s diverse economy and growing population are driving energy demand growth as industry, heat and transport look to decarbonise. These decarbonisation efforts have been particularly challenging in mid Wales owing to the lack of electricity transmission infrastructure in the region.

The ability to transfer power efficiently and securely between the north and south of the country, and across the UK, has been identified by NESO as essential to meet Britain’s 2030 offshore wind targets, and will be crucial for supporting Wales’s net zero ambitions.

As more projects seek a connection in Wales, our plans support these ambitions by upgrading existing networks and expanding capacity for the transfer of clean power to where it is needed.

Midlands

8 major substation interventions across the region

£1.7bn of investment to maintain, upgrade and develop our network

Installing 492 MW of demand to connect rail services (252 MW) and capacity for distribution networks and their customers (240 MW)

1 new substation proposed in the region

Reconductor c. 400 km of overhead line (OHL) – 22% of total OHL in the region

900 MW of battery storage is expected to connect

Includes our Chesterfield to Willington project – part of our Great Grid Upgrade – to help connect new low carbon projects, boost energy security and power the region with clean, more affordable electricity

Five new supergrid transformers to support demand connections and help maintain network reliability, including at Coventry and Berkswell

Building a state-of-the-art, resilient new Electricity Transmission Control Centre in the region.

We are extending our existing Willington substation as part of our Chesterfield to Willington project, improving power flows from the North of England to homes and businesses in the Midlands, while creating capacity for a pipeline of connections that will support the transition to net zero for both the region and the country.

Overview of this network region

This network region reflects the geographical area of the central Midlands, combining parts of the west and east Midlands.

The Midlands network is a vital link between the northern and southern parts of the UK grid, and is essential for the overall stability and balance of the national electricity system. It also serves as a hub for electricity flows to and from Wales and the East of England.

Major urban centres such as Birmingham and Nottingham, and their neighbouring cities, rely on our infrastructure for stable and well-balanced electricity supply, and to support their sustainability strategies.

As a major demand centre, the West Midlands is focusing on decarbonising its urban environment, including its diverse industrial sectors, as part of the UK’s move towards a smarter, net zero energy system. Likewise the East Midlands is increasingly contributing to the country’s renewable energy mix with its growing portfolio of onshore wind, solar and biomass facilities. The region’s open, flat terrains are noted as being ideal for such projects.

Our network is crucial to both sub regions’ transition, reliably transferring clean electricity to where it is needed for industrial processes, connecting proposed new gigafactories, and integrating new technologies like electrified transport and industrial heat pumps.

East Anglia

5 major substation interventions across the region

£9.6bn of investment to maintain, upgrade and develop our network

8 new substations, including at Bramford and Walpole

12.6 GW of new low carbon electricity generation is expected to connect, including c. 10 GW of offshore wind, 1.2 GW of hybrid battery projects and 1.1 GW of battery storage

Reconductoring 340 km of overhead line (OHL) – 24% of total OHL in the region

Two new supergrid transformers to support demand connections and help maintain network reliability, including at Burwell and Sundon

Includes our Great Grid Upgrade projects Norwich to Tilbury, Bramford to Twinstead, Grimsby to Walpole, Eastern Green Links 3 and 4 and Sea Link to help connect new low carbon projects, boost energy security and power the region with clean, more affordable electricity

Expecting to install 240 MVA of demand for distribution networks and their customers.

Our planned rebuild of Sizewell substation with an SF6-free solution will support the connection of the proposed Sizewell C nuclear power station, improve the reliability and resilience of the network, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Overview of this network region

This network region reflects the geographical area of East Anglia combined with parts of the East Midlands, with some network included from neighbouring regions.

Home to some of the UK’s fastest-growing cities and local economies, the East of England is a region with high levels of economic ambition, supporting technology hubs surrounding Cambridge and Norwich, and growing manufacturing and agricultural businesses across the region.

This ambition will mean a growing demand for clean, reliable energy from both homes and businesses in addition to the new requirements presented by zero-carbon heating and transport.

The region’s geography, including extensive plains, coastline and shallow waters, are giving rise to a growth in onshore and offshore renewable energy, with notable projects such as the East Anglia Array requiring a connection to the grid. Existing and new nuclear sites at Sizewell also contribute to the region’s zero carbon credentials, with further possible interconnection with countries across the North Sea.

Until now, the existing high voltage electricity network has been sufficient to meet demand. However, as electricity needs grow, the capacity of the electricity transmission network will also need to increase.

South West

1 new substation proposed in the region

£1.1bn of investment to maintain, upgrade and develop our network

4.2 GW of new low carbon electricity generation is expected to connect, including >3 GW of nuclear and >570 MW of hybrid battery projects

We are expecting to connect 1.8 GVA of demand to connect gigafactories (1.3 GVA) and capacity for distribution networks and their customers (480 MVA)

We are planning to reconductor 686 km of overhead line (OHL) – 39% of total OHL in the region

5 new supergrid transformers to support demand connections and help maintain network reliability, including at Iron Acton

4 major substation interventions across the region.

Our planned Exeter-Taunton-Shurton overhead line uprating project will help equip our network to handle projected increases in power flows in the region without the need for new infrastructure, minimising impact on communities while relieving local grid capacity constraints.

Map is illustrative. New build and some upgrades are at various stages of development and planning. The lines shown here should therefore not be regarded as defined or proposed routes but reflective of various required reinforcements published by NESO. Includes baseline and pipeline projects. Major site strategy includes existing substations where we plan a rebuild or significant extension(> £20m). Does not include new tCSNP2 circuits onshore and offshore which are subject to the outcome of NESO’s tCSNP2 refresh.

Overview of this network region

This network region includes the geographical area of the South West combined with parts of the West Midlands, and a route corridor East through to London.

The south west region is undergoing a significant shift in its energy landscape. Large volumes of clean generation are looking to connect in the area, with further demands on the network emerging as part of the region’s decarbonisation targets and larger industrial requirements such as Hinkley Point C, Tata Group’s gigafactory and new data centres.

The anticipated connection of Hinkley Point C also means the region is in transition from net importer to net exporter of electricity. These power flows will be enabled by our recent reinforcement of the network through the Hinkley Connection Project.

Alongside offshore wind resource, the area is notable for having some of the best solar irradiance in the UK. Somerset’s Net Zero Pathway expects that this will help local renewable generation, mostly solar, to meet the equivalent of almost half the county’s future electricity demand.

As this new clean power connects in greater volumes, collaborative approaches with the distribution network will be crucial. We will also need to ensure that more isolated coastal regions have the infrastructure to support growing demand.

South East

6 major substation interventions across the region

£2.7bn of investment to maintain, upgrade and develop our network

1.7 GW of new low carbon electricity generation is expected to connect, including 1.4 GW of interconnectors and 300 MW of battery storage

Reconductoring 319km of overhead line (OHL) – 17% of total OHL in the region

We are expecting to connect 1.8 GVA of demand to connect gigafactories (1.3 GVA) and capacity for distribution networks and their customers (480 MVA)

Includes our Great Grid Upgrade projects Tilbury to Grain, Tilbury to Kingsnorth and Sea Link to help connect new low carbon projects, boost energy security and power the region with clean, more affordable electricity

5 new substations including at Minster

3 new supergrid transformers to support demand connections and help maintain network reliability, including at Didcot.

We are working with local network SSEN on a joint solution at our Fawley site to boost grid capacity on the south coast – improving security and reliability of supplies as demand rises and potentially unlocking land to support local regeneration and economic growth.

Overview of this network region

This network region reflects the geographical area of the South East, excluding the route corridor into London covered in the South West network. It does not include Greater London.

The transmission network in the South East is characterised by heavy power demands, with high commercial loads often seeing peak demand during summer heatwaves exceed those in winter. This load was previously supplied by fossil fuels and nuclear, with a more recent transition to renewables as these technologies connect in greater volumes.

The transition towards higher wind and solar generation often results in natural power flows through England and Wales to the south east, which can be exported through interconnectors to Europe. The interconnectors in this region create dynamic network challenges. Depending on power flows to and from neighbouring countries, the region can act as both an importer and exporter of electricity.

This means we need transmission infrastructure that can manage large power flows in both directions. Projects such as Grain to Tilbury will reinforce the network in the region to help move this clean power and maintain a secure and reliable network.

London

7 new substations including Bengeworth Road and Uxbridge Moor

£2.8bn of investment to maintain, upgrade and develop our network

We are expecting to connect 8.2 GVA of demand for data centres, rail services and capacity for distribution networks and their customers

65km of underground cable replacement projects – 16% of total cable in the region

4 major substation interventions across the region

Includes our North London Reinforcement Project – part of our Great Grid Upgrade – to upgrade the existing network to a higher voltage between Waltham Cross to Hackney

33 new supergrid transformers to support demand connections and help maintain network reliability, including at Warley and Elstree

Reconductoring 213km of overhead line (OHL) – 29% of total OHL in the region

Over 100 MW of new battery storage is expected to connect.

Working with the local council, we are proposing to upgrade and re-size our Barking substation to protect land earmarked for local redevelopment plans, whilst providing the additional network capacity to support those plans.

Overview of this network region

This network region reflects the geographical area of London, but may diverge from traditional boundaries or transpose network in parts of neighbouring regions.

Demand for energy in London is significant due to its growing population and the increasing decarbonisation of heat and transport, as well as its vast commercial sector, and critical infrastructure, including transport networks and public services.

The Greater London Authority aims for a zero carbon city by 2030, tackling air pollution and ensuring the region benefits from the clean tech sectors of the future such as data centres, whilst also hitting targets for new housing developments.

As a densely populated urban area, the city does not have the space for large-scale renewable electricity generation projects. Instead, it needs a robust electricity network to meet its energy needs, with new infrastructure or upgrades to the existing network to meet the needs of the future.

Just as people move across the city below surface level, much of London’s electricity is also transported deep underground. The second phase of our London Power Tunnels project is currently being built, connecting more of the city, and giving new life to the old network.