The Great Grid Upgrade is the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations. Our infrastructure projects across England and Wales are helping to connect more renewable energy to your homes and businesses.

The Great Grid Upgrade will play a big part in the UK government’s plan to boost homegrown power. It will help the UK switch to clean energy and make sure our electricity network is fit for the future; carrying more clean, secure energy from where it’s generated to where you need it.

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The Great Grid Upgrade: Helping to power the things you love

Helping to power the things you love

Whether you want a nice cuppa or a hot soak, to dance the night away or get cosy at home, we all want to be able to do what we love.

And because energy threads through everything we love to do, we're on a mission to make it cleaner, fairer and more secure for everyone.

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Upgrading the grid today makes for a better tomorrow

More clean energy for all

The Great Grid Upgrade will enable the electricity grid to carry more clean energy to communities in every part of England and Wales, helping us all reach net zero faster.

Energy security

The Great Grid Upgrade will connect clean energy that’s produced right here in the UK, increasing the self-sufficiency of our energy supplies.

A grid that's fit for the future

As we continue to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and increase clean energy generation, we’ll be using more electricity than ever. That means we’ll need a grid that’s able to carry all this extra electricity to wherever we might need it.

Investment close to home

As well as helping to reach net zero, the UK government suggests that investment in onshore network infrastructure could support up to 130,000 jobs and contribute an estimated £4-11bn of GVA (gross value added) to Great Britain’s economy in 2050.*

Discover The Great Grid Upgrade projects

Person walking down beach

Eastern Green Links 3 and 4

A proposal for two new primarily offshore high voltage electricity links and associated onshore infrastructure between Scotland and England.

Field with pylons

Norwich to Tilbury

A proposal to reinforce the high voltage power network in East Anglia between the existing substations at Norwich Main in Norfolk, Bramford in Suffolk, and Tilbury in Essex.

Field with pylons

Brinsworth to High Marnham

A proposal for an uprating of the existing 275kV overhead lines to facilitate a transmission load of 400kV and the development of three new substations to help carry more green power from the North of England to the Midlands.

Man and woman walking dog

Grimsby to Walpole

A proposal to build a new high voltage overhead line in Lincolnshire, including building new pylons and new substations.

North Humber to High Marnham

A proposal to build a new high voltage electricity transmission line between Creyke Beck in the East Riding of Yorkshire and High Marnham in Nottinghamshire.

Family walking on beach

Sea Link

A proposal for a new planned high voltage undersea electricity link between Suffolk and Kent.

Grain to Tilbury tunnel

Grain to Tilbury

A proposal involving the replacement of the existing 1960s Thames Cable Tunnel beneath the Thames between Tilbury and Gravesend.

Kids playing on some rocks

Eastern Green Link 1

EGL1 is a two gigawatt (GW) high voltage direct current (HVDC) electrical superhighway to be built between the Torness area in East Lothian, Scotland and Hawthorn Pit in County Durham, England.

Woman with bike on the beach

Eastern Green Link 2

EGL2 is a 2GW high voltage direct current (HVDC) electrical ‘superhighway’ cable link to be built between Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, Scotland and Drax in North Yorkshire, England.

Road signage in country

Bramford to Twinstead

We need to build a network reinforcement between Bramford Substation in Suffolk and Twinstead Tee in Essex.

Dog in field

Yorkshire Green

The Yorkshire GREEN project proposes new infrastructure including substations, overhead lines, underground cables and cable sealing end compounds (where underground cables meet overhead lines).


Your questions answered

Why is The Great Grid Upgrade happening? 

The way we are all powering the things we love is changing. In the years ahead, more of our energy will come from renewables as part of the transition to a cleaner, greener future. This means we need to build new infrastructure, as well as upgrading the existing grid, to bring this clean, green energy from where it’s generated to where it’s needed by homes and businesses. The Great Grid Upgrade is the largest overhaul of the grid in generations.

How will I know if The Great Grid Upgrade is happening in my area and how will I have my say?

If any of these projects are taking place in your local area, we’ll be advertising consultation events so that you can have your say on how this should happen. We’d love you to come along, find out more and tell us what you think.

How will The Great Grid Upgrade work with local communities?

We want to work closely with communities to make sure that we’re balancing the needs of those hosting this infrastructure, with the need to deliver lower bills, more secure energy and more clean energy for everyone. We aim to do this in a number of ways – from developing skills and employment opportunities to supporting local community projects through our Community Grant Programme.

Stay connected on social media

From new jobs in clean energy to the exciting technology that’s getting us closer to net zero, you’ll find regular updates from #TheGreatGridUpgrade and more on our social media channels.