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Publicising your project

How we coordinate messaging with you

At National Grid, our External Affairs team leads engagement with communities that may be impacted by our infrastructure works. We use a campaign-based approach, through consultation events, drop-in sessions, briefings and printed materials, to inform people about our proposals and potential impacts. While formal consultation isn’t always required, we value local insight in shaping our projects.
 

Working together

Depending on timelines, it is likely that you will start publicising your project before we’re in the position to talk about how we’ll be connecting your development to the grid. Our aim in External Affairs is to work with customers in a positive and collaborative way that embodies a ‘no surprises’ approach.

We do this by agreeing to:

  •  avoid answering on behalf of each other’s projects, particularly when consulting with communities
  • making our roles in the energy system clear to communities and stakeholders
  • developing a communications protocol to manage enquiries
  • keeping one another informed of relevant decisions and announcements ahead of them becoming public. This includes relevant planned communications and relevant non-confidential local insights
  • coordinate messaging and reactive lines to take that respond to any identified project ‘risks’ or frequently asked questions 
  • share details on stakeholder engagement and briefings 
  • share relevant materials that directly reference one another, ahead of publication, to ensure consistent messaging and clear distinction between respective organisations.
     

Messaging

The following high-level messaging is intended to give you a better understanding of how National Grid positions itself externally. These messages, along with any project-specific lines to take, can be adapted with your External Affairs Lead, depending on the context of your project to ensure consistency.
 

About National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET)

  • National Grid sits at the heart of Britain’s energy system, connecting millions of people and businesses to the energy they use every day. It’s our vision to be at the heart of a clean, fair and affordable energy future.
  • National Grid is a group of companies, and one of those companies, National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET), owns, builds and maintains the high voltage network in England and Wales. It is NGET who facilitates new connections.
  • NGET owns, builds and maintains the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales. This network operates primarily at 400,000 volts (400kV) and 275,000 volts (275kV).
  • We take electricity generated from different power sources and transport it through our network, consisting of 7,000km of overhead line, 700km of underground cable, and 330 substations.

How NGET fits into the energy system

  • We are not a supplier, and we do not buy or sell electricity or directly bill customers.
  • The transmission network is like the motorways, carrying vehicles (electricity) at high speed (high voltage) across the country. This is the network of big pylons and overhead lines you see around the country.
  • Homes and businesses connect to separate electricity distribution networks which operate at a lower voltage from the transmission network.

Connections

As part of our license to operate, NGET issues connection contracts to developers seeking to connect to the national transmission system. Under Connections Reform, customers must first submit a Readiness Declaration to the National Energy System Operator (NESO), which will assess their eligibility for a Gate 2 offer. Only projects meeting NESO’s readiness and strategic alignment criteria will receive a fully worked connection offer.

  • We physically connect to the grid everything from large offshore wind farms and smaller batteries, to demand customers like industry, rail and Distribution Network Operators (DNOs).
  • Responsibility for connecting to a NGET substation sits with the developer, and they are required to secure their own planning consents to facilitate the connection. We’re responsible for identifying the most suitable connection point following a request to connect to our network, and the voltage of this connection point.

Infrastructure

  • When building new infrastructure there are several technical and environmental factors National Grid has to take into consideration, alongside its statutory duties and relevant planning policies and guidelines.
  • Substations are integral features of the transmission and distribution networks and enable electricity to be transmitted at different voltages, securely and reliably. One of the main roles of substations is to convert electricity into different voltages. This is needed so the electricity can be transmitted throughout the country and then distributed throughout local neighbourhoods and into our homes, businesses and buildings.
  • We’re investing in our transmission network to create new electricity infrastructure in support of the energy transition. This includes major electricity transmission projects, and projects being delivered as part of the Great Grid Upgrade.

 

Contact our team

If you are preparing to publicise your project, contact our External Affairs team by emailing [email protected] or calling 0800 279 3408. The team will ensure they put you in touch with the External Affairs Lead for your connection.