We are developing proposals to construct a new substation at Dorman Point, within the established industrial Teesworks area on the south bank of the River Tees, east of Middlesbrough, and we wanted to make you aware of our plans.
The scale of demand for electricity in the area means that new infrastructure is needed to increase network capacity. The proposed substation would provide over 1 gigawatt (GW) of new capacity, helping to ensure the network can meet growing demand while maintaining a secure and resilient electricity supply for businesses and industry across the South Tees area.
National Grid owns and operates the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, transporting electricity from where it is generated to local electricity networks that supply homes, businesses and industry. As a regulated business, we have a legal obligation to connect customers to the network when requested.
The project will strengthen the electricity network in the South Tees area, providing the capacity needed to support a proposed private-wire network serving a new data centre, alongside a proposed battery energy storage system (BESS) site. Together, this infrastructure will help attract investment, support the growth of AI and digital technologies, and enable the region's next phase of industrial and economic development.
The shaded area below shows the approximate outline planning application area, within which the proposed substation, site compound and access roads are expected to be located.
Proposed site boundary
The Great Grid Upgrade
The Tees Dock Substation is part of The Great Grid Upgrade, the largest upgrade of the electricity grid in generations. National Grid Electricity Transmission owns and maintains the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales.
As demand from data centres and digital infrastructure grows, The Great Grid Upgrade will strengthen the grid and help power possibilities for customers, communities and the wider economy.
Data centres are critical national infrastructure, supporting cloud services, artificial intelligence, financial services, healthcare, education and public services. Reliable electricity connections help the UK remain competitive as demand for digital services grow.
By upgrading the grid now, we can meet this growing demand while helping to support investment, economic growth and a secure, reliable electricity network for the future.
Current status
In July 2026, we submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Opinion Requests to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). Submitting an EIA Screening Request helps confirm the level of environmental assessment needed for infrastructure projects and gives clarity early in the planning process. Following a review of the proposals, the Council and DESNZ have confirmed that a full EIA is not required. This means the project is not likely to have significant environmental impacts that would require further assessment.
In September 2026, we submitted an outline planning application to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council for the new 400 kV substation and associated infrastructure at Dorman Point.
Outline planning permission seeks approval for the project in principle. More detailed plans, including the appearance, landscaping, access, scale and layout, would be considered through a later planning application known as a reserved matters application. This will be submitted to the Council, following approval of the outline planning application.
As part of the outline planning application, information has been submitted covering topics including transport, ecology, flood risk and land contamination. The planning application is now being considered by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and can be found by searching for R/2026/0711/OOM on the Council’s planning portal.
Next steps
As we develop our more detailed plans, we will work closely with local communities, businesses and elected representatives. Before submitting the reserved matters application, we plan to carry out a four-week consultation in Spring 2027 on the detailed proposals. This will provide an opportunity for local residents, community groups, businesses and anyone interested in our proposals to review the detailed plans, ask us questions and share their feedback before we finalise our reserved matters application.
Feedback received during the consultation will be carefully considered as we refine the proposals and prepare the reserved matters application.
Anticipated timeline
Please note, these timelines are indicative and subject to change.
- Spring 2026 – Surveys start
- Summer 2026 – Submission of EIA Screening Opinion Request
- Autumn 2026 – Submission of an outline planning application
- Winter 2026/7 – Ongoing project updates and continued engagement as our proposals progress
- Spring 2027 – Public consultation on the detailed proposals, including opportunities to view the plans, ask questions and provide feedback
- Spring/Summer 2027 – Submission of a reserved matters planning application
- Autumn/Winter 2027 onwards – Pending approvals, land remediation works will begin, followed by site mobilisation and construction
We will continue to keep local communities and stakeholders informed as the project progresses and key milestones are reached.
Supporting local communities
We have a long-standing commitment to the communities we work alongside, and we want to ensure lasting benefits for the people and places that host new infrastructure.
If planning approval is granted for the Tees Dock Substation, a community fund will be unlocked at the point in which construction begins.
Shaped by the community, for the community, this fund will be designed to reflect local needs and developed in line with government guidance.
We will work with residents, charities, community groups and elected representatives to understand what matters most and how the funding can make a lasting, positive impact. We will share more information on this and opportunities to get involves as the project progresses.
Stay informed
We will keep you updated as the project develops:
Newsletter – subscribe to our newsletter for project updates and community news. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Website – we will update this page regularly so please check for updates.
You can also contact our community relations team directly on:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0800 130 3711 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 5:30pm)
We are committed to protecting your personal data. To learn more about how we handle and store your information, please see our privacy policy to learn more.
FAQs
National Grid is developing proposals to construct a new substation at Dorman Point, located within the established industrial Teesworks area on the south bank of the River Tees, east of Middlesbrough.
The project will strengthen the electricity network in the South Tees area and provide the capacity needed to support the region’s next phase of industrial and economic development. The project will strengthen the electricity network in the South Tees area, providing the power needed to support a proposed private-wire network serving a new data centre, alongside a proposed battery energy storage system (BESS). Together, this infrastructure will help attract investment, support the growth of AI and digital technologies, and enable the region's next phase of industrial and economic development.
A new substation is required to strengthen the electricity transmission network in the Tees Valley and meet growing demand for electricity. As a regulated business, we have a legal obligation to connect customers to the network when requested. The project will help ensure there is capacity to support new businesses and digital infrastructure, while maintaining a secure and reliable electricity supply for the region.
The substation will help connect major new developments in the Tees Valley area, including a proposed data centre and battery energy storage system (BESS) facility.
Data centre investment can create local employment, skills and training opportunities. The UK’s highly reliable transmission network is a key factor in attracting data centre investment. BESS facilities help store electricity when demand is low and release it when demand is higher, supporting a more flexible and resilient electricity network.
The proposed substation is contracted to provide over 1 gigawatt of import and export capacity.
The Great Grid Upgrade is the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations.
The demand for electricity is set to double by 2050 as the way we power our homes, businesses, industry and transport changes. We need to upgrade the grid now to ensure we can meet this increase in demand. The Great Grid Upgrade therefore comprises major infrastructure projects that will both scale up the grid and update our existing networks.
Projects like the Tees Dock Substation form part of this wider programme to strengthen the UK’s electricity network.
Yes. The project will require planning permission before construction can begin. Planning permission will be sought in two stages.
First, an outline planning application will be submitted to establish whether the principle of the development is acceptable from the local planning authority, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. If approved, this will be followed by the submission of a reserved matters planning application, which will include more information of the proposed development including detailed designs that show the layout, appearance, landscaping and access.
Yes. We will work with local residents, community groups, businesses and political representatives as the project develops and a public consultation will be held before we submit our reserved matters application.
Information will be shared through this project website so people can stay informed and ask questions.
The outline planning application seeks approval for the principle of development at Dorman Point, rather than the detailed design of the substation.
We are committed to consulting local residents, community groups, businesses and elected representatives on the detailed proposals. We believe the most meaningful time to do this will be ahead of the reserved matters application, when more information about the design, layout, landscaping, access arrangements and appearance of the development will be available.
Consulting at that stage will allow the community to consider detailed plans, ask informed questions and provide feedback on the aspects of the scheme that are still being developed. This will help ensure that comments received can be fully considered and, where appropriate, reflected in the final proposals.
If planning consent is secured for the Tees Dock Substation, a Community Fund of £530,000 will be unlocked.
Shaped by the community, for the community, the fund will be designed to reflect local needs and developed in line with government guidance. We will share further information as the project progresses, including opportunities for local people to help shape the fund and its priorities.
We are committed to creating lasting benefits for the communities that support our infrastructure and are exploring opportunities to provide community investment as the project develops.
We want to ensure proposals are informed by local priorities and reflect the communities they are intended to benefit. We plan to share more information on the Community Fund as the project progresses and will engage with local communities at the appropriate time. Updates will be provided through the project website and other communication methods.
Environmental protection is an important part of any National Grid project. Surveys and ecological assessments are being carried out before work begins so potential impacts can be understood and addressed.
The project will deliver biodiversity net gain, which means that the natural environment around the site will be improved through measures such as landscaping and habitat creation.
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process used to identify and assess the likely environmental effects of a proposed development.
In July 2026, we submitted Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Opinion Requests to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). Following a review of the proposals, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and DESNZ have confirmed that a full EIA is not required for this project.
This means the Council and DESNZ do not expect the project to have significant environmental effects that would require a full EIA. We will continue to carry out environmental surveys and technical studies to better understand the site and local area. This work will help inform the design of the project and support future planning applications.
The works will be delivered in phases over several years, with updates provided as the programme develops. However, subject to planning consent, we expect land remediation works will begin in Autumn/Winter 2027, followed by site mobilisation and construction commencement.
We will continue to keep local communities and stakeholders informed ahead of key stages of construction.
You can find the latest updates on this website as the project develops.
If you have any questions, you can contact the project team:
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 0800 130 3711 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 5:30pm)
Our team will be happy to help and will respond to enquiries as quickly as possible.