National Grid Electricity Transmission and SP Energy Networks are planning to enhance the electricity network with proposals for the Cross Border Connection project. Cross Border Connection is a proposal to develop a new electricity connection between a location near Lauder in the Scottish Borders and the Carlisle area. To find out more visit Cross Border Connection.
Our substation at Harker, near Carlisle in Cumbria has been in service since the 1960s. As the equipment on site gets older, technology advances and demand on the electricity network increases, we will need to replace infrastructure at Harker Substation and increase its capacity.
The project consists of three main elements:
- Replace and rebuild the existing substation by extending onto an adjacent field and reconfigure the short sections of the pylons into the extended substation
- Add new conductors (the wires between the pylons) onto 8km of existing pylons between the Harker substation and the Scottish Border.
- Refurbish existing pylons between the Harker substation and the Scottish Border by renewing the existing wires and carrying out associated works.
This project will provide the improvements required to maintain the existing electricity transmission system. This includes increased capacity on the network between Harker and the Scottish border and energy security as much of the existing equipment at the substation is reaching the end of its operational life.
The work that is being delivered will also ensure the substation is prepared for future demand, as more electricity is generated from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy, which needs to be connected to the electricity network. The work that we are delivering will provide additional network capacity to accommodate new energy generation so Harker can continue to serve as a critical intersection point on the UK energy network, connecting supplies between Scotland to England.
Our application to extend the substation to the north of the existing site was approved by Cumberland Council in 2023. We are currently working to replace and rebuild the existing equipment.
You can find out more information by viewing our plans or email [email protected].
Project news
To find out more information about our work and what’s coming up, read our project newsletters.
Community links
Whilst we’re working on site, our team has been supporting local schools and community groups.
Blackford Primary School
We held an art competition for pupils to create safety posters for the site compound. Judged by the project team, the winners were presented with their prizes in a special assembly.
Alex Bil was chosen as the overall winner, and their poster has pride of place on site. The winners of each category also have their posters displayed in the site cabins, and a welcome sign has been designed using a montage of the entries.
Project Manager Kevin Harper said:
We were really impressed by the quality of the artwork the children entered, with many showing a real understanding for health and safety whilst on site and creating impressive designs. It was really difficult to choose the winners!
Overhead lines Project Manager Kat Woods also visited the school as part of the careers week to host a series of sessions with all pupils about the role of a National Grid Project Manager. She ran workshops where the children pretended to be an engineer and tackled different issues to find the solutions.
Blackford Primary School headteacher, Lindsey Slater, said:
We’ve been thrilled at the amount of support National Grid has provided to the school recently, including the brilliant careers workshops Kat ran and the children loved getting involved in the art competition too!
Headway
The substation site team has also worked with Headway North Cumbria to source local artwork to help decorate the site wellness room.
Community Grant Programme
Our Community Grant Programme is aimed at organisations and charities in areas where National Grid’s work impacts local people through our operations and site activities.
We provide grants for community-based initiatives run by charities and community groups that meet local community needs by providing a range of social, economic and environmental benefits.
If your project meets our criteria, you can apply for a grant of up to £20,000.
Section 37
As part of our work to refurbish the existing pylons and add new conductors to the overhead lines that run between Harker substation and the Scottish Border, National Grid Electricity Transmission plc (NGET) has submitted two Section 37 (S37) applications to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). Works are proposed in two locations, on the V route at tower V28 and at tower AL68 on the AL route north of Harker.
Further information can be found in the documents below. Comment on this application should send particulars of such to DESNZ, 3-8 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2JP or via email to [email protected], identifying the name of the overhead line and the comment or grounds for objection. Please also copy all comments to [email protected].
If you have any queries, please contact our community relations team via the details below.
Section 37 documents
Compulsory Purchase Order
On 28 September 2023 National Grid Electricity Transmission Plc (“National Grid”) made The National Grid Electricity Transmission (Harker Energy Enablement Project) Compulsory Purchase Order 2023 ("The CPO”) to enable it to compulsorily acquire the land and rights necessary to construct and operate additional infrastructure and increased capacity from Harker Substation to the Scottish border.
National Grid are continuing to engage with all known affected landowners and, where required, the occupiers, to discuss the required rights and proposals to deliver the project. We will continue to negotiate in a collaborative and positive manner to conclude a voluntary agreement. Where National Grid has a completed agreement in place, it does not expect to need to rely on the CPO. Our preference will always be to secure land rights on the basis of voluntary agreement with affected landowners/occupiers.
A copy of the notice confirming the making of the CPO has been served on all those with an interest in the land who were included in the CPO. It has also been published in the local newspaper and erected at intervals across the land included in the CPO.
A copy of the confirmed CPO and the maps that show the land included in the CPO are available.
The public local inquiry into The National Grid Electricity Transmission (Harker Energy Enablement Project) Compulsory Purchase Order 2023 (the Order) that was due to open at 10am on Tuesday 5 March 2024 at Warwick Mill Business Village, Warwick Bridge, Carlisle, Cumbria CA4 8RR pursuant to Rule 11 of the Compulsory Purchase (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 2007 (as amended) has been cancelled by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. This is because all remaining objections to the Order have been withdrawn and the public inquiry is no longer necessary.
On 1 August 2024 the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero confirmed the Order with minor modifications (see documents listed below). This was publicised on 19th August 2024, at which point the Order became operative.
Further detail on the compulsory purchase process can be found in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Guidance on Compulsory Purchase Process and The Crichel Down Rules (July 2019), which is available to view and download for free online at GOV.UK.
If you’d like more information about the CPO, please contact National Grid’s appointed land agent Bruton Knowles using the contact details below:
Telephone: 0161 327 2771
Postal: NGET Harker Energy Enablement Project, C/O Bruton Knowles, 1 Roebuck Lane, Sale, Manchester, M33 7SY
Email: [email protected]
CPO documents
A – Legislation
B – Guidance and policy
C – Planning permissions and related documents
D – CPO and related documents
E – Objections
F – Miscellaneous
G – Evidence
Frequently Asked Questions
The Cross Border Connection project is a proposal to build a new electricity transmission link between the proposed Gala North Substation near Lauder in the Scottish Borders, and a new substation in the Carlisle area.
The Scottish part of the project is being developed by SP Energy Networks, running from Gala North Substation to the Scotland-England border.
The Harker project is a separate scheme to extend our substation at Harker to the north of the existing site, which will help to increase the capacity on the network between Harker and the Scottish border and energy security.
The existing substation, near Carlisle in Cumbria, has been in service since the 1960s. The extension project will provide the improvements required to maintain the existing electricity transmission system as much of the existing equipment at the substation is reaching the end of its operational life.
Site works are currently progressing with construction of the main substation structures entering the final stage and equipment being installed on site. Connecting the extension to the existing site and commissioning of the new equipment will begin in 2026. The project is due to be completed in 2029.
National Grid launched a consultation on the English part only – a new 400 kV overhead line from the border to Carlisle, plus a new substation linked to the existing network.
During the Stage 1 consultation, National Grid has asked for people’s views on the proposals to construct:
- a new 400 kV substation in the Carlisle area (‘new Carlisle substation’)
- a new 400 kV overhead line between the new Carlisle substation and the England-Scotland border
- a connection from the new Carlisle substation to the existing network.
National Grid is considering two options for the location of the new Carlisle substation. Option A is in an area north of Carlisle, near the existing Harker substation with Option B to the south of Carlisle.
More information on these options can be found on the ‘Our proposals’ page on the project website here.
National Grid is upgrading Harker substation to increase network capacity, manage future demand and support new energy generation in the region. These improvements provide additional network capacity to accommodate new sources of energy that is generated so that Harker substation can continue to serve as a critical intersection point on the UK energy network connecting Scotland and England.
For more information about the Cross Border Connection project, please visit: https://www.nationalgrid.com/electricity-transmission/network-and-infrastructure/infrastructure-projects/cross-border-connection
Contact us
Telephone: 0800 319 6165 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 5:30pm)
Email: [email protected]
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