$1.5bn Transmission Investment to Boost UK Grid Capacity
National Grid has launched the next phase of its Electricity Transmission Partnership (ETP), awarding an initial $1.5 billion (£1.2 billion) programme to upgrade overhead lines across England and Wales.
Five supply chain partners—Balfour Beatty, M Group, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, Murphy, and the Omexom–Taylor Woodrow joint venture—will deliver reconductoring works across more than 1,000km of transmission routes.
Reconductoring involves replacing existing power lines with higher-capacity conductors, allowing more electricity to flow through the existing network without building entirely new lines. The upgrades are designed to increase capacity, improve resilience, and support growing electricity demand.
The programme is part of National Grid’s broader investment strategy, which includes plans to invest $40.9 billion (£31 billion) in its transmission network by 2031 and upgrade around 3,500km of existing lines—around half of its total network.
Alongside this, National Grid has established more than £28 billion in supply chain contracts across UK electricity networks through initiatives such as the ETP, Great Grid Partnership, and its high-voltage direct current framework.
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 building new infrastructure to meet rising demand.”
The investment is also expected to support workforce growth, with around 6,000 new roles planned in the UK by 2031, including 2,000 apprentices and graduates.
Source: acenet.co.uk
