Powering tomorrow: our investment in communities
Communities play a vital role in the transition to cleaner sources of energy. We believe that those hosting energy infrastructure should benefit from doing so.
We know that our responsibility goes beyond safely building new energy infrastructure to enable a cleaner, fairer and affordable future. We want to leave a lasting positive impact in the areas where we build the Bramford to Twinstead Reinforcement, helping communities thrive and supporting a sustainable future.
Earlier this year, the Government published new guidance setting out how projects like ours can deliver a positive legacy. The guidance sets out the types of infrastructure projects that should deliver community benefit funds, and the level of funding that should be made available.
The project is in scope of the Government's new guidance, resulting in a community benefit fund in excess of £4 million.
Between 13 October and 28 November 2025, we sought your views on how best to deliver a community benefit programme that works for your area. As part of this, we are exploring opportunities such as local grant schemes, as well as investment in partnerships and programmes.
We received 137 responses and are currently working through the feedback received. We expect to have more information to share, including on the types of projects that will be eligible and how funding will be awarded, in early 2026.
We would like to express our gratitude to the local community for taking the time to share their valuable insights. In addition to the survey, we have also been speaking with key organisations that operate in Suffolk and Essex to gain feedback on community benefit.
What's happening with electricity bill discounts?
Separate to the community benefit guidance, the Government has announced plans for an electricity bill discount scheme for nearby households. This could include bill discounts of up to £2,500 over 10 years for those living within 500 metres of our project. The mechanism for delivering this funding has been secured as part of the recent Planning and Infrastructure Act, and the Government expects the scheme to be in place by 2026. We will share further details as they emerge.