Frequently asked questions
Here you’ll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire proposals.
We will continue to update these as the project progresses.
About National Grid
National Grid sits at the heart of Britain’s energy system, connecting millions of people and businesses to the energy they use every day. We bring energy to life – in the heat, light and power we bring to our customer’s homes and businesses; in the way that we support our communities and help them to grow; and in the way we show up in the world. It's our vision to be at the heart of a clean, fair and affordable energy future.
We are working to build a cleaner, fairer, and more affordable energy system that serves everyone – powering the future of our homes, transport and industry. We believe by acting now, the UK can become the world’s first major clean economy, creating growth and jobs for communities across Britain.
National Grid is a group of companies, and one of those companies, National Grid Electricity Transmission, owns, builds and maintains the network in England and Wales. It is National Grid Electricity Transmission that is developing plans for Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire.
Within the National Grid Group there are other distinctly separate legal entities, each with their individual responsibilities and roles. More information about National Grid can be found on the ‘About us’ section of National Grid’s website.
National Grid Electricity Transmission, owns, maintains and operates the high voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales. This network operates primarily at 400,000 volts (400 kV) and 275 kV.
National Grid funds new projects such as power transmission lines through an agreement with Ofgem. Ofgem pay upfront costs, which are gradually passed on to customers over a 40 year period. This eases the burden on electricity bills.
The Great Grid Upgrade is the largest overhaul of the Grid in generations and will future proof the Grid for years to come, facilitating the transition to a clean and affordable energy future. It will enable us to carry more clean, secure energy from where it is generated to where it is needed, boosting energy security and helping the nation become more self-sufficient. Find out more about The Great Grid Upgrade.
About the project
Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire is a proposal by National Grid Electricity Transmission to upgrade the electricity transmission network between Lincolnshire and the East Midlands. This would be done through:
- construction of approximately 60 km of new 400,000 volt (400 kV) overhead line between Weston Marsh and East Leicestershire;
- construction of two new proposed substations, one near Corby Glen in Lincolnshire (known as WMEL-A) and one near Wartnaby in Leicestershire (known as WMEL-B); and
- reconductoring (upgrading) approximately 55 km of existing 400 kV overhead line between East Leicestershire and the existing Grendon substation in Northamptonshire.
We are generating more renewable energy than ever, and renewables are a key driver of this change.
As the nation transitions to renewable energy from fossil fuels, it is vital that the electricity grid can keep pace. Delivering the electricity infrastructure – overhead lines and substations – needed to support this transition will boost local economies, provide jobs and opportunities to learn new skills, and bring vital investment.
Before we propose any necessary new grid infrastructure, we work to make the most of the existing network. However, demand is rising and the way electricity is generated is changing, so we need to deliver upgrades to the Grid across England and Wales, including between Lincolnshire, the wider East Midlands and across the country.
Like much of the country, the networks in the East Midlands were largely developed in the 1960s. They were built to supply regional demand and carry electricity from fossil fuel power stations in the North and Midlands to major cities. Most of the current infrastructure takes power north-to-south.
Recent years have seen a rapid growth in offshore wind generation and interconnectors with Europe across the North Sea. Demand for electricity in the UK is forecast to increase, and more home-grown electricity is being generated off the coast of Scotland and England, so there is an increasing need to reinforce the transmission network from east-to-west to ensure that this new capacity can be safely transported to where it’s needed.
Every year, the National Electricity System Operator (NESO) – who plan and manage Great Britain’s electricity system – looks at how much energy needs to be carried on the network in the future. It also looks at where network capability needs to be improved.
Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire will enable enough electricity to be carried into the region to power up to six million homes.
Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire will help transport clean, renewable energy from the North Sea and along the Lincolnshire coast to where it’s needed in the East Midlands and beyond. However, it’s not all about supplying key cities. The project will help upgrade the network through Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, benefitting local communities and businesses by transporting electricity to local homes and businesses where it is needed.
Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire will enable enough electricity to be carried into the region to power up to six million homes.
We are proposing a new 400 kV electricity transmission line of approximately 60 km. This would run east to west from the new Weston Marsh substations in Lincolnshire (part of the separate Grimsby to Walpole project) to East Leicestershire via two new substations: WMEL-A near Corby Glen in Lincolnshire, and WMEL-B near Wartnaby in Leicestershire.
The new overhead line would be made up of new pylons and conductors (electrical wires). At this early stage of the project, we have not decided on exactly what type of pylon we will use and where. This will be considered in more detail as we develop our proposals further.
Substations are an essential component in the energy network, connecting sources of generation, such as wind farms and power stations. They connect overhead and underground circuits and can connect nearby utility systems. Substations manage electricity flows within the network, which can include connection and disconnection of circuits to direct the flow, transform voltages to higher or lower ratings, manage the frequency of the electricity and increase efficiency and reliability of the power supply. You can find out more about substations here.
We are proposing two new substations along the new overhead line route. One near Corby Glen in Lincolnshire, to the north of the A151, west of the East Coast Mainline, alongside the existing overhead line (to be known as WMEL-A). A second in the area southwest of Wartnaby in Leicestershire (to be known as WMEL-B).
Reconductoring involves both the replacement of pylon fittings and replacing and upgrading the conductors – these are the wires strung between the pylons on the route, along which the electricity is transmitted. Reconductoring increases the amount of electricity that can be transmitted over existing lines by using efficient conductors that generally operate at higher temperatures and carry more power.
Reconductoring involves replacing pylon fittings and upgrading the conductors (the wires strung between pylons). It increases the amount of electricity that can be transmitted over the existing lines by using more efficient conductors that generally operate at higher temperatures and carry more power.
We need to consider National Policy Statement EN-5 which covers the development of new energy infrastructure. This policy concludes that in most cases, the government expects that overhead lines will be appropriate and should be used as standard to reinforce the grid.
The independent Institution of Engineering and Technology conducted a study (available here) of electricity transmission technologies, finding pylons to be the most cost-effective solution. AC underground cables were found to be 4.5 times more expensive, offshore point-to-point 5 times more expensive, and offshore connecting multiple sites 11 times more expensive than overhead line.
Our assessments show that undergrounding, including using High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cables, would be significantly more expensive, have environmental impacts and present engineering challenges. Due to the higher price that would be involved in an underground alternative, we do not believe that this would be the most suitable option as all costs ultimately go onto domestic energy bills.