Electricity pylons and cabling with workers performing maintenance, there is a blue sky in the background

Working near our assets

On this page, you'll find guidance and support for working near our electricity transmission assets, including overhead lines and underground cables. 

Working near our electricity assets

Are you proposing, scheduling, or designing developments close to our electricity transmission assets? Our electricity assets include overhead lines, pylons, underground cables, and transmission substations. 

For electrical assets, we do not authorise or agree safe systems of work with developers and contractors. However, we will advise on issues such as electrical safety clearances and the location of towers and cables. We also work with developers to minimise the impact of any of our assets that are nearby.

You can find out more about the basic safety and location of our assets by downloading our guidance document for working near electricity equipment.

Download guidance document

What to do in an emergency

If you spot a potential hazard on or near an overhead electricity line please call the 24-hour electricity emergency helpline : 

0800 40 40 90 

Follow these steps:

  • do not approach any hazard, even at ground level - keep as far away as possible

  • warn anyone in the area to evacuate or stay away
  • tell us where the emergency is. If you don't know you can describe the area or look for road signs
  • explain what's happened and what you can see
  • give your name and phone number.

Working on our land

Are you a developer wishing to work with National Grid to acquire rights over our non-operational land? You can find out more by downloading our guidance document and appendices below.

The guidance explains the process for securing rights over non-operational land owned by National Grid Electricity Transmission (leasehold/freehold and/or cable rights), the high-level design principles for development of non-operational land in proximity to operational electricity transmission assets, common land constraints to be aware of and requirements in relation to planning applications and use of permitted development rights.

Guidance note on the use of National Grid non-operational land

Guidance note on the use of National Grid non-operational land - appendices

Further guidance and documents

Name
Working near electricity equipment
Third Party Developments Near National Grid Tunnel Assets
Overhead Line Profile Drawing Help Text

Enquiries about working near our assets

If you have any questions or need more information about working near our network assets, please contact the National Grid Asset Protection team or submit an enquiry to Line Search.

Line Search provide search facilities for our assets so you can:

  • find out if it's safe to dig before you start

  • find out where underground electricity cables and gas pipelines are buried

  • report any works you are planning in Britain.

Submit an enquiry

Phone: 0800 001 4282 (Asset Protection)

Email: [email protected]

For domestic enquiries, such as metering or power cuts, more information can be found on the National Grid ESO website.