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Landowners, occupiers and grantors
Our electricity network traverses urban and rural areas of land that are owned and occupied by third parties. The areas of land surrounding our equipment are constantly subject to change and development. This page provides you with an overview of the main areas of interaction, related publications, and contact details.
Grantors (landowners and occupiers)
Most electricity transmission apparatuses (such as high voltage overhead lines, pylons, or underground cables) are on or under third-party land.
Before we can install and operate electricity assets on land we do not own, we require rights from the owner or occupier of that land.
These landowners are known as grantors and we're committed to maintaining a successful working relationship with them.
How to contact us if you are a grantor
Lands officers provide a day-to-day point of contact for our grantors. You can also contact us if you have any questions about compensation, reinstatement, maintenance or refurbishment plans in your area - our team will be happy to help.
If you have any queries, please telephone 0800 389 5113, we have 3 options for you to choose from:
- If you are calling to find out how to obtain your electricity MPAN number, press option 1.
You can obtain your electricity MPAN number if you are a business or residential consumer by going online to the Energy Networks Association and putting in your postcode. The website address is www.energynetworksassociation.com - If you are a National Grid Grantor and require assistance regarding a wayleave, easement or payment query, please press option 2.
- For all other enquiries, please press option 3.
Useful documents for grantors
Please click on the relevant heading below to read or download documents.
From time to time, we require access to land to inspect, maintain, and refurbish high voltage overhead lines. We have a duty to maintain the transmission system and power supplies, so we need quick and easy access to our equipment.
Our rights of access to do maintenance and refurbishment work are contained within the wayleave agreement or permanent easement with the landowner.
Overhead power lines are inspected on a routine basis both by foot and helicopter. We also have to climb pylons. Refurbishment of overhead lines can involve:
- Replacing conductors, insulators, and associated fittings;
- Painting pylons; and
- Works to the pylons and their foundations.
New technology is helping us to reduce the disruption caused by these things, but during major refurbishment safety scaffolding may need to be put up over properties, roads, and other development.
Minor refurbishments (such as repainting) are usually needed every seven years. Major works tend to happen much less frequently.
Find out more in the following documents:
Installation of high voltage underground cables
Environmental and Engineering Surveys
We provide information for planning authorities and developers on our electricity transmission lines and substations in a downloadable PDF guide. It covers planning and amenity issues, both with regard to our approach to siting new equipment, and to development proposals near lines and substations.
Download design guidelines for development near pylons and power lines
Please click on the relevant title below to read or download the document:
National Grid's commitments when undertaking works in the UK, December 2016 |
Undergrounding high voltage electricity transmission lines - The technical issues |
Our EMF unit helpline manages enquiries from members of the public, including prospective homebuyers, sellers, and their professional advisers who may be concerned about nearby electrical equipment.
The EMF unit provides relevant information to concerned individuals and will undertake field measurements as appropriate. We can also supply literature for home sellers to pass on to agents, prospective vendors, and their advisers. We're not aware of any UK mortgage lender that has a policy of refusing mortgages for properties near overhead lines because of EMFs.
You can also download our EMF public position statement which provides a framework for managing the EMF issues facing National Grid. It sets out how we’ll continually assess the scientific evidence in this area, determine any implications for the way in which we conduct our business, and explain to society what the science is telling us.
On the Electricity emergencies and safety advice page, you can find out more about safety issues around our overhead lines and underground cables, including:
- Agricultural operations near overhead power lines;
- Trees and vegetation near overhead power lines;
- Leisure activities near overhead power lines;
- Birds; and
- Noise from lines.
Enquiries about working near our assets
If you have any questions or need more information about working near our network assets, please contact the National Grid Asset Protection team or submit an enquiry to Line Search.
Line Search provide search facilities for our assets so you can:
find out if it's safe to dig before you start
find out where underground electricity cables and gas pipelines are buried
report any works you are planning in Britain.
Phone: 0800 001 4282 (Asset Protection)
Email: [email protected]
For domestic enquiries, such as metering or power cuts, more information can be found on the National Grid ESO website.
Dial before you dig
If you're a farmer, landowner, or otherwise working on land, you can find out more about working around our network equipment by downloading the 'Dial before you dig' guide.
Line search
You can also check if your works will affect our transmission network by using the Linesearch website.
Network Access Policy
National Grid Electricity Transmission’s Network Access Policy (NAP) is written to facilitate collaboration between Transmission Owners, National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO) and other stakeholders.
The Network Access Policy is designed to deliver value for consumers in relation to the planning, management and operation of the electricity transmission system in Great Britain.