May 2026 update
We are now sharing our detailed proposals for EGL 5 and seeking your feedback through a Stage 2 consultation. This consultation opened at 12pm noon on Friday 29 May 2026 and will close at 11:59pm Friday 24 July 2026.
You can find out more about our proposals for EGL 5 by visiting the document library and our proposals page. You can also access our interactive map here.
We are also holding a series of in-person public information events during the consultation. You can find information on these on our have your say page.
About Eastern Green Link 5 (EGL 5)
EGL 5 is a new primarily offshore high-voltage electricity link between Scotland and England, with some onshore infrastructure.
The Project's subsea cables would run from Scotland and make landfall at Anderby Creek on the Lincolnshire coastline. From landfall, underground cables would run for up to 8 km to a new EGL 5 converter station in north-east Bilsby.
From here, EGL 5 would connect into the electricity network via the Lincolnshire Connection Substation-B (LCS-B). This is being proposed as part of National Grid’s Grimsby to Walpole project and is therefore not included in the EGL 5 proposals.
We will be seeking consent for the English offshore and onshore elements of EGL 5 in a single DCO application. SSEN Transmission is responsible for obtaining the relevant consents for EGL 5 in Scotland and Scottish waters.
We held our Stage 1 consultation for EGL 5 in summer 2025. This was held alongside the Stage 2 consultation for EGL 3 and EGL 4. Since this consultation, we have considered the feedback received, along with outputs from ongoing engagement with stakeholders, technical assessments, and environmental surveys. These have helped us to develop our proposals for EGL 5.
We are now holding our Stage 2 consultation. This stage of consultation is an opportunity to share your views on our more detailed proposals for the Project. This consultation runs from Friday 29 May to 11:59pm on Friday 24 July.
All documents published for our Stage 2 consultation are available to view in our document library. You can also read more about our proposals here, and view our onshore proposals on our interactive map.
Contact us
Please get in touch if you have any questions or comments about the EGL 5 project by emailing [email protected] or calling 0800 358 4817.
You can also write to us (no stamp required) to: Freepost EGL 5
Landowners
If you are a landowner or occupier who is affected by our project, or you think you may be, please visit our landowner page.
Join our WhatsApp channel
You can also receive updates on the project directly to your phone via our new EGL 5 WhatsApp channel.
If you would like to join, please click this link or scan the QR code below. No personal details, including phone numbers, can be seen by others including National Grid and will not be stored or shared by WhatsApp.
Download the GridEngage app
Stay up to date with the latest news and updates on EGL 5 via our GridEngage app. This has been developed to support community engagement. You can download the app on the Google App or Apple store, or follow the below link.
You can watch our short videos on the EGL 5 project and our Stage 2 consultation below.
Why we are proposing EGL 5
EGL 5 would play an important role in strengthening Britain's energy security.
It would do this by reliably transporting electricity generated in Scotland, particularly from offshore wind, to where it is needed in the Midlands and South of England. The project would carry up to 2 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power two million homes and businesses with home-grown, renewable electricity.
EGL 5 is part of The Great Grid Upgrade. This is the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations.
Seeking consent for EGL 5
EGL 5 has been recognised as a project of national significance. These types of projects need a special type of planning permission to be built. This is known as a Development Consent Order (DCO). We will be seeking consent for the English offshore and onshore elements of the project in a single DCO application.
Consultation is an important part of the DCO process. Feedback from our consultations - along with the outcome of technical assessments and environmental surveys – helps us to develop our proposals before submitting an application to the Planning Inspectorate.
The Planning Inspectorate will then examine our application and make a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. The Secretary of State will then decide whether to grant consent for the building and operation of EGL 5.
We are jointly developing EGL 5 with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Transmission (SSEN Transmission). SSEN Transmission is responsible for obtaining the relevant consents in Scotland and in Scottish waters. Visit SSEN Transmission's EGL 5 website for more information.
Indicative project timeline
Consulting on our proposals
In summer 2025 we held our Stage 1 consultation on EGL 5 and and introduced our early proposals. Following this consultation, we considered the feedback received, along with outputs from ongoing engagement with stakeholders, technical assessments, and environmental surveys. These have all helped us develop and refine the proposals for EGL 5.
We are now in our Stage 2 consultation. This stage of consultation is an opportunity to share your views on our updated and more detailed proposals for EGL 5. This consultation is a ‘statutory’ consultation as it is being carried out in line with the Planning Act 2008. Statutory consultation is a requirement of the DCO process.
Our Stage 2 consultation runs from 12pm on Friday 29 May to 11:59pm on Friday 24 July 2026.
Supporting the local community
All infrastructure projects can have impacts and benefits both locally and nationally. At National Grid, we believe that communities hosting new electricity transmission infrastructure should share the benefits. That’s why we work closely with local communities and their representatives at every stage, from early planning through to construction and beyond.
To gather views on how best we can support the communities closest to our projects, we have published a Community Fund Survey. You can complete this online survey here.
You can also request a hard copy by emailing us on [email protected] or calling us on 0800 358 4817. This can then be sent back to us, free of charge, via Freepost EGL 5.