Woolavington substation
Unlocking economic growth and helping deliver transport decarbonisation for the UK
In 2024, Agratas, part of Tata Group, confirmed that it was to build a new multi-billion-pound electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility in the UK.
Construction of the 40GWh factory is now underway near Bridgwater in Somerset. It is set to be the biggest battery factory in the country, creating thousands of jobs, and aims to supply almost half of the batteries needed by the UK’s automotive industry by the early 2030s.
Project overview
NGET has a legal obligation to connect customers to the UK electricity transmission network if a request is received. Agratas has requested a connection to supply power to its battery manufacturing facility. NGET is developing plans, working with both Agratas and This is Gravity, which owns the Somerset site, to construct a new 132kV/400kV substation.
The proposed substation will connect the new factory to the UK’s high voltage electricity transmission network, providing a reliable electricity supply to power the facility in the future.
A new substation is required as our existing substations in the area do not have enough capacity to power the new factory.
As the operator of the electricity transmission network in England and Wales, National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) will be responsible for ensuring the facility has a continuous and reliable source of power to enable its future operations.
Substation development
The proposed substation is currently in the development and design stages. The plans will be subject to a compliance process administered by the local planning authority as part of the Local Development Order that has been granted for the wider site.
We are working closely with Somerset Council and other stakeholders, as well as Agratas and This is Gravity to ensure the proposals are in accordance with the Local Development Order.
Our designs will include measures to minimise any potential impacts on local residents, for example through vegetation screening, traffic management plans and the proposed building height and colour.
Site location
The proposed location of the new substation is the south-eastern side of the Gravity Smart Campus. This land is identified in the Local Development Order for energy infrastructure.
The location is directly underneath the new high voltage electricity line that NGET has constructed in the area. This avoids the need for any additional pylons or overhead wires.
A temporary construction compound, including welfare units and parking for workers will also be required.
Indicative Project timeline
Note that this timeline is subject to change as the project progresses through the planning and development stages.
| Late Spring 2025 | Agratas to carry out enabling works to prepare the substation site and associated construction compound |
| Summer 2025 | Start of construction |
| End of 2028 | Construction complete |
Further information
Proposed Woolavington substation
Substations are integral features of the electricity network and convert electricity to a lower voltage so it can be safely delivered to local homes and businesses.
National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) owns and operates more than 300 large substations, where 132kV, 275kV and 400kV overhead power lines or underground cables are switched in voltage so the electricity can be safely distributed to the surrounding areas.
Smaller substations are owned and maintained by local distribution networks, including our Electricity Distribution business, National Grid Electricity Distribution.
The proposed substation is at the design and development stages. We will be able to share more details and images of the proposed design later in Spring 2025 and will be inviting residents to view the plans at a local venue.
Typical components of a 132kV/400kV substation are:
- Supergrid transformers: vital high voltage devices which boost substations’ capacity and resilience, stepping voltage up or down so electricity can be efficiently transmitted from power generators or safely distributed to homes and businesses via regional networks.
- Buildings which will house the switchgear: a variety of equipment including disconnectors, fuses and lightning arrestors which ensure the safe disconnection of an electrical circuit in case of a fault or can isolate a circuit for maintenance
- Gantries: for the proposed Woolavington substation this is where the substation will connect into the existing line of T-pylons in the area, which avoids the need for additional pylons.
- Busbars: metal bars that conduct electricity across their span. Equipment in substations is typically clamped directly onto these busbars.
A Local Development Order (LDO) provides specified permitted development rights within a defined area, in addition to those that are set out in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order already. By doing this, it removes the requirement for an application for planning permission albeit, confirmation is typically required from the local planning authority (LPA) that the terms of the LDO have been complied with.
LDOs are determined locally and used by LPAs to help accelerate the delivery of appropriate development. LDOs can help enable growth by positively and proactively shaping sustainable development in their area, and by simplifying the planning process and making investment more attractive.
View the Gravity Local Development Order on Somerset Council’s website
The proposed substation is at the design and development stages. We will be able to share more details and images of the proposed design later in Spring 2025 on this webpage and will be inviting residents to view the plans at a local venue.
We’re currently assessing potential traffic and transport effects of the plans. Before we start construction on the site, we’ll submit a comprehensive Construction Traffic Management Plan as part of the Local Development Order compliance submission. This will detail our measures for mitigating the effects of road-based construction traffic, including the implementation of clear controls, defining hours of operation, specifying routes for large goods vehicles, and managing the timing of deliveries to minimise disruptions.
Once the substation becomes operational, we anticipate there will be minimal traffic to and from the site, with around ten cars or light goods vehicles visiting the site each month. This will also be subject to a traffic management plan.
While there may be some disruption, we’ll do all we can to minimise our impact on the local community.
We’ll share programme and construction information with the local community and Somerset Council as well as the Parish Councils. This will help us to better understand how we can minimise the potential impacts of our work. For example, if we need to introduce road closures and how we can minimise potential noise impacts.
We’re committed to being a good neighbour and we’ll work with our contractors to make sure any disruption to the local community is kept to a minimum.
National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) is building two interim 33kV connections which will power the Agratas site until the high voltage 132kV/400kV substation, currently being developed by NGET, is complete.
Working with the local community
It’s important to us that we keep local people well informed and offer opportunities to ask questions about our plans.
In Summer 2024 we met with Woolavington and Puriton parish councils as well as writing to local councillors and MPs. In January 2025 we wrote to over 600 addresses near the site of the proposed substation informing them of the plans.
In Spring 2025 we will host an information event at a location in Woolavington where members of the public can come and find out more about the plans and ask any questions and help shape our communications as plans progress.
We’re committed to transparent communication and will make all related documents available for public review, further supported by our dedicated Community Relations team who can be contacted by phone: 0800 073 1047 or email: [email protected].
Communities play a vital role in the transition to cleaner sources of energy. NGET believes that those that host energy infrastructure should benefit from doing so.
We’re committed to working in collaboration with communities, stakeholders, suppliers and other parts of industry, to leave a lasting positive legacy by delivering community benefits in the areas that host our infrastructure.
Our current live community benefits include:
Opportunities for young people
To help achieve net zero by 2050, we estimate our industry needs to recruit for 400,000 jobs between now and 2050.
Find out more about careers, apprenticeships and student placements with National Grid:
https://jobs.nationalgrid.com/UK/]
Grid for Good
Grid for Good is our flagship programme that helps increase access to training and employment opportunities for young people. We support students with career coaching and masterclasses.
Already we’ve reached out to students from schools and colleges across many parts of England, with more activities to come. Find out more about Grid for Good:
https://www.nationalgrid.com/responsibility/community/grid-for-good
Community Grant Programme
When we are nearer to construction, our community grant programme will be open for applications from local charities and not for profit organisations to support local community initiatives. You can find out more at:
https://www.nationalgrid.com/responsibility/community/community-grant-programme