About Kiln Lane substation

We are building a new 400 kV substation near Friston, which will connect ScottishPower Renewables' (SPR) East Anglia ONE North and East Anglia TWO offshore wind farms to our transmission network. 

The Secretary of State approved the construction of the Kiln Lane substation in March 2022, as part of SPR's applications for the two wind farms. 

As part of the project, we need to:

• construct the new Kiln Lane substation

• modify the existing overhead line closest to the substation, by removing one existing pylon and constructing two new pylons

• build two temporary pylons to allow the safe operation of the existing line during construction, which will be removed once construction is complete 

• make small changes to the equipment on up to 12 existing pylons on the existing overhead line. 

About The Great Grid Upgrade 

The new Kiln Lane substation is a key part of The Great Grid Upgrade - the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations. The Great Grid Upgrade will provide homes and businesses with secure, cleaner, home-grown British energy from more affordable sources. 

What's happening now?

Our main contractor, Omexom Taylor Woodrow (OTW), set up the construction area over the summer of 2026. We began main construction in September 2026, and we expect to complete the work in 2029, when we will also remove the temporary construction infrastructure.

We have prepared the site and built a level platform for the piling works. We are now installing the foundations for the new substation, drilling them into the ground with a rotary piling rig rather than hammering piles in. This work will continue into early 2027.

Early in 2027, we'll start installing the structural frame and the external elements of the building. East Suffolk Council has approved two tower cranes to help us do this. Unless the programme changes, they will be on site from mid-2027 until spring 2028, speeding up construction and reducing site traffic.

From mid-2027 to early 2028, we'll fit out the inside of the building and install the services and equipment it needs to operate. 

While we carry out this work, you may notice more construction activity, deliveries and vehicle movements, large equipment on site, and construction noise and low levels of vibration during our working hours. All dates may change as the programme develops. 

Read the boards from our September 2026 information event.

Managing our impact

We know construction can be disruptive, which is why we're working closely with SPR to keep our impact on Friston and the wider area to a minimum. We work within the hours agreed in our planning consent, 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 7am to 1pm on Saturdays, with no work planned on Sundays or bank holidays. We use the first and last hour of each day to set up and close down the site, so we don't carry out noisy work at these times. If we ever need to carry out essential work outside these hours, we'll agree it with East Suffolk Council and let affected residents know in advance. 

Our Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) will follow pre-approved routes and reach the site via the shared construction haul road, keeping construction traffic away from Friston and other local villages and narrow lanes. We're also sharing facilities with SPR, including the haul road and on-site welfare, and our teams meet regularly with SPR, Sizewell C and other developers in the area to coordinate our works.

We'll protect local wildlife and habitats throughout construction, in line with the environmental management plans approved for the project. Once complete, we will have delivered a biodiversity net gain of at least 10%. We're working with SPR on a coordinated landscaping and screening scheme for the wider area, including new woodland, hedgerows, habitat planting and earth bunds to soften views of the substations. 

Community Fund

National Grid has a long-standing commitment to the communities we work alongside, and we want to ensure lasting benefits for the people and places that host our infrastructure. 

Shaped by the community, for the community, we will design the fund around local needs and develop it in line with government guidance. Our community fund survey closed on 5 August 2026. Thank you to everyone who shared their views. We are now reviewing the feedback to shape how the fund will work and the types of local projects it could support. 

If approved, the Sea Link and Kiln Lane Community Fund will provide up to £1.06 million to support local projects in the area. We expect to open applications for the first £530,000 of funding in the coming months, and we'll publish more information about the fund and how to apply once we confirm the details. 

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Contact us

If you have any questions or comments about Kiln Lane, please get in touch by emailing [email protected], or by calling 0808 304 8210.

If you would like us to update you directly as our project progresses, you can sign-up to our mailing list or join our WhatsApp update channel using the links below. 

If you would like to register for WhatsApp updates, please scan the QR code with your mobile phone. 

Our link to other projects in the area

Our separate Sea Link project will connect into the Kiln Lane substation, if it is consented. You can find out more on our separate Sea Link website.

SPR will also build two other substations next to Kiln Lane substation, which will support the initial conversion of energy generated from their offshore wind farms. 

If you have any questions on East Anglia ONE North or East Anglia TWO, please get in touch with SPR's stakeholder team using the email addresses below.

Email East Anglia ONE North

Email East Anglia TWO