Eastern Green Link 3 and 4 | National Grid ET

The way we generate electricity in the UK is changing rapidly, and we are transitioning to cleaner technologies like new offshore wind farms. That means we need to make significant changes to the grid so the whole country has access to and can benefit from the clean electricity from these new renewable sources.

The UK is committed to being a global leader in clean energy. The Government has set a legally-binding commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and an ambition to connect 50 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030 – enough energy to power every home in the country.

To achieve this, offshore wind is being developed at an unprecedented scale off the East Coast of England and in Scotland and around 60% of the current offshore wind projects will come ashore along the East Coast of the country.

In a rapidly changing world, having more locally produced renewable energy connected to the grid will enhance Britain’s energy security, help reduce energy costs for consumers, combat climate change and create new jobs in the energy sector.

Couple this with greater interconnection with countries across the North Sea – enabling trading of electricity by countries via undersea electrical connections – we expect to see a significant increase in the level of renewables and low carbon energy connecting on the East Coast.

While our existing high-voltage electricity network has been sufficient until today, it doesn’t have the capability needed to reliably and securely transport all the energy that will be connected by 2030.

Project overview

The Eastern Green Link (EGL) 3 & 4 projects are needed to increase network capability to connect the numerous new offshore wind farms that are being developed, and transport new clean green energy to the homes and businesses where it is needed. They are required in addition to the SEGL1 and SEGL2 projects we have been developing over the last few years.

These proposals are part of The Great Grid Upgrade, the largest overhaul of the grid in generations. It will help the UK switch to clean energy, connecting wind power from the North Sea straight to the things you love and value.

The EGL 3 projectwill be a new offshore High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) electrical link from Peterhead to the south Lincolnshire area.

EGL4 will be a new offshore HVDC electrical link from east Scotland, also to the south Lincolnshire area.

Where offshore projects such as these connect with the land, we also have to build onshore infrastructure to enable the clean energy to be transported, to homes and businesses. The onshore infrastructure required for each of these projects will include new converter stations and substations (in both Scotland and England), as well as underground cables to connect everything together.

Together, these projects will transfer 4GW of electricity between Scotland and England. This means that once operational, these projects will provide enough energy to power around 3 million homes.

Next Steps

As we work to develop our plans, we want to keep you informed and listen to your views on our proposals.

We are in the very early stages of developing these projects and will be making initial contact with authorities and other key stakeholders in the months ahead.

We will also be undertaking some early environmental and engineering surveys to help shape our proposals.

We will then look to carry out a public consultation so that we can introduce our early proposals to local communities and stakeholders.We expect to hold a first stage of consultation in early 2024, when we will want to hear your views to help inform the development of our projects. We will consider all the feedback received as we further develop our plans before holding further public consultation on our more detailed proposals.

Please check back here for further updates or contact us by emailing [email protected] or calling 0800 279 3408.

General information

Who is National Grid?

National Grid sits at the heart of Britain’s energy system, connecting millions of people and businesses to the energy they use every day. We bring energy to life – in the heat, light and power we bring to our customer’s homes and businesses; in the way that we support our communities and help them to grow; and in the way we show up in the world. It is our vision to be at the heart of a clean, fair and affordable energy future.

We are working to build a cleaner, fairer, and more affordable energy system that serves everyone – powering the future of our homes, transport, and industry. We believe by acting now, the UK can become the world’s first major clean economy, creating growth and jobs for communities across Britain.

National Grid is a group of companies, and one of those companies, National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET), owns, builds and maintains the network in England and Wales. It is NGET that is developing plans for the Grimsby to Walpole upgrade.

Within the National Grid Group there are other distinctly separate legal entities, each with their individual responsibilities and roles. More information about National Grid can be found on the about us section of National Grid’s website.

What is National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET)?

NGET owns, builds and maintains the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales. This network operates primarily at 400,000 volts (400kV) and 275,000 volts (275kV).

It is NGET that is developing plans for the Grimsby to Walpole reinforcement and is the electricity transmission arm within National Grid.

What is The Great Grid Upgrade?

The Great Grid Upgrade is the largest overhaul of the grid in generations – making sure that renewable energy can move from where it’s generated to where it’s needed, enabling us all to power the things we love with cleaner energy.

Where can I find out more information about The Great Grid Upgrade?

You can visit nationalgrid.com/the-great-grid-upgrade for more information.