An On the wire story
Britain’s electricity network faces a far larger bill than previously expected, with the National Energy System Operator now saying almost £90bn will be required over the next nine years to ensure the Grid can meet rising demand.
That is £31bn more than the operator’s first estimate in 2024, reflecting updated evidence, redesign work and a sharper focus on how the system can actually be delivered.
The revised plan, published this week, recommends 43 network projects for development in the 2030s. NESO said the package includes major upgrades to existing infrastructure alongside new offshore and onshore cabling, and that the latest sequencing should give industry greater certainty over where investment is most likely to be needed. In March 2024, the operator had put the figure at £58bn for a grid facing Britain’s growing and decarbonising demand by 2035.
NESO said the offshore network design has been refined since then, with simpler configurations replacing earlier, more complex concepts in order to improve deliverability and reduce risk.
The organisation said the changes reflect government policy, the latest future energy scenarios and connections reform, as well as practical constraints around construction, consent and supply chains. Julian Leslie, NESO’s director of strategic energy planning, said timely upgrades were essential if the system was to remain reliable, resilient and affordable while supporting growth.
The figures come as regulators and network owners intensify efforts to speed up the build-out of Britain’s energy infrastructure. Ofgem announced £28bn of grid investment in December 2025, saying the wider programme could rise to about £90bn by 2031 across gas and electricity networks.
The regulator has also pushed through a major reform package intended to cut delays in grid connections, while in June it advanced a portfolio of long-duration storage projects. Industry activity is already picking up, with Bam recently winning early contractor involvement work for SSEN Transmission on Eastern Green Link 3 and Balfour Beatty securing a £325m contract for the Netherton Hub in Aberdeenshire.
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Inspired by headline at: Construction News [1]
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Source: Noah Wire Services
• This On the wire article was created using Noahwire AI and reviewed by CIBSE Journal’s editorial team
