We had planned to carry out survey work in Prince of Wales Open Space from 22 June. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances on site, this work has been postponed.
We are currently working with our technical team to agree a new start date and will update the project website as soon as this has been confirmed. We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
Overview
Brimsdown Substation is a key location within the North London Reinforcement (NLR) project. Most of our work will take place in the Prince of Wales Open Space, next to the existing substation.
The equipment at Brimsdown has been in use for more than 60 years and needs to be upgraded. We will replace transformers and other equipment with higher-capacity units so the system can run at a higher voltage.
Our work will help more home-grown electricity, including more affordable power from cleaner sources, flow through North London and nearby areas. The upgrade will make the best use of existing infrastructure and help keep the network safe, reliable and ready to meet growing demand from homes and businesses.
What is taking place?
As part of this work, we will be extending the substation at Brimsdown. The new area will be linked to the existing substation by a bridge carrying cables over the current pathway.
The project will also involve four deliveries of major electrical equipment known as Supergrid Transformers (SGTs). These are large pieces of equipment that help move electricity safely and efficiently through the network. The new transformers will allow the substation to carry more power and help keep the network stable as demand grows.
We will also be connecting the overhead lines safely to underground cables, alongside reconductoring the existing overhead line.
Construction activity
The first stage of our construction work has now started at Brimsdown, including surveys and preparation works. We have set up a temporary haul road within the Prince of Wales Open Space to help construction vehicles, equipment and materials reach the site safely. We will be establishing haul road later in 2026.
We have also installed temporary fencing around work areas to help keep people safe. We understand the park is important to the local community, so pedestrian access will remain open throughout the works.
The work will take place in phases as the project progresses. Activities will generally take place between 7am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Some weekend work may also be needed, depending on project requirements. We will notify you of any weekend working prior to the work beginning.
Keeping communities informed
We aim to minimise the impact of our work as much as possible and keep people informed about the work we’re doing at Brimsdown. TWe will maintain safe pedestrian routes, carefully manageconstruction traffic and major equipment deliveries, and keep residents and stakeholders informed throughout the project.
Register your details to receive project updates as information becomes available. You can also follow our WhatsApp channel for real-time updates on our activity. Read our Frequently Asked Questions document, including the QR code you can scan to join.
Frequently asked questions
Works at Brimsdown
Work at Brimsdown is now underway, starting with surveys and site preparation. Construction will take place in phases as the project progresses until it’s completion in 2030.
Ground investigation surveys, including borehole surveys inside the substation site, began in June 2026.
Overhead line works are planned north of Brimsdown Substation in September 2026, as well as in Enfield Island Village. This may require temporary closures on the local road network, and we will keep communities and stakeholders updated on any disruption once works are confirmed.
From February 2027, most activity will take place in and around the Prince of Wales Open Space. As work progresses, there will be more construction vehicles, equipment and workers in the area.
We will be removing the two Supergrid Transformers (SGTs) currently on site from May 2027 and replacing them with two new ones with higher capacity, which will arrive from February 2028. These deliveries will be carefully planned and managed with the relevant authorities.
Timings may change. We will continue to provide updates as plans are confirmed.
We know the Prince of Wales Open Space is important to local people, and we will ensure access will remain available for pedestrians throughout the works.
Temporary fencing has been put up around our work areas to keep people safe while construction takes place. Pedestrian access to the open space will remain available throughout the works.
We will continue to review access arrangements throughout the works and will provide updates if anything changes.
Some noise is expected during construction. This may come from machinery, vehicle movements, deliveries and preparation works. These activities will generally take place during our normal working hours of 7am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, although some weekend work may be needed depending on project requirements.
We will manage noise as far as reasonably practicable. We will also provide updates before activities that may cause more disruption than usual.
The haul road allows construction vehicles, equipment and materials to reach the work area safely.
Using a managed route helps separate construction traffic from pedestrians where possible. It also helps us reduce impacts on nearby roads and paths.
Temporary fencing has been installed around work areas to help keep the public and workforce safe.
Traffic management
Throughout construction, temporary traffic management will be introduced where required. A temporary single lane closure on the M25 is also currently planned for September 2026 to support nearby overhead line works.
We know road and footpath closures can be frustrating. We will let people know about closures as early as possible and share updates if plans change.
We will also give advance notice of any temporary road restrictions linked to Supergrid Transformer deliveries, including information on timings and alternative routes where appropriate.
For the latest information on access arrangements, please visit our Traffic Management page.
Yes, at times, footpaths may need to close temporarily so we can carry out work safely. Temporary closures to footpaths between Aldridge Avenue, Mollison Avenue and Navigation Drive are currently in place to support trackway installation, access works and overhead line works.
The planned ground investigation surveys will take place inside the substation site. At this stage, we do not expect them to affect Public Rights of Way or lead to any more closures.
We work closely with the relevant highways authorities when planning vehicle movements and traffic management.
We also work with the highways authority to help avoid different roadworks happening at the same time where possible.
Safety
The safety of the public, our workforce and neighbouring communities is our number one priority.
Security measures will be in place to help keep the site safe and secure. This includes security staff outside working hours where needed, as well as secure fencing and other site protection measures.
These measures meet industry safety regulation standards and are designed to keep the site operating safely throughout construction.
Contact us
If you would like any further information or to speak to a member of the community relations team about the works, please use the contact form on our website or via the contact details below.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0800 538 5398