Over the last few days three major UK electricity transmission operators—National Grid, SSEN Transmission (a subsidiary of SSE), and SP Energy Networks—announced significant grid investment plans to upgrade the nation’s grid infrastructure. But what does this actually mean in terms if expected expenditures, planned upgrades, and anticipated impacts?
National Grid
- Investment:
- Up to £35 billion over five years (April 2026 to March 2031).
- Planned Upgrades:
- Over £11 billion dedicated to maintaining and upgrading existing transmission networks.
- Construction of three Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) projects to support the UK’s renewable energy goals.
- Impact:
- Facilitates the connection of 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030.
- Supports the UK’s target to decarbonise its power sector predominantly by 2030.
- Enhances energy security and contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
SSEN Transmission (SSE)
- Investment:
- At least £22 billion over five years (April 2026 to March 2031), with potential to increase to £31.7 billion depending on various factors.
- Planned Upgrades:
- Implementation of mission-critical grid infrastructure projects in the north of Scotland
- Projects include both baseline expenditures and committed strategic investments approved by Ofgem
- Development of new pylons, overhead lines, cabling, and substations.
- Enhancements to accommodate increased capacity from upcoming renewable projects, including 27.6 GW of offshore wind farms from ScotWind.
- Impact:
- Aims to meet the UK government’s ambition for 95% low-carbon generation by 2030.
- Aims to ensure the north of Scotland transmission network can meet 20% of Great Britain’s demand for clean power
- Supports up to 37,000 jobs across the UK, with 17,500 in Scotland
- Expected to add up to £15 billion in value to the UK economy, including £7 billion in Scotland
- Includes over £100 million in community benefit funding.
SP Energy Networks
- Investment:
- £10.6 billion
- Planned Upgrades:
- Construction of 12 new major transmission substations
- Upgrading 450 km of existing circuits
- Enhancing 87 km of overhead lines
- Installing 35 km of underground cables
- Impact:
- Facilitates connection of up to 19 GW of new renewable energy sources
- Aims to reduce constraint costs, potentially saving households approximately £167 annually by 2030
- Plans to double the transmission workforce, creating around 1,400 direct jobs and supporting an additional 11,000 jobs across the UK
- Estimated to contribute £2 billion annually to the UK economy
Collectively, these investments represent a significant commitment to modernising the UK’s electricity transmission infrastructure, supporting renewable energy integration, and contributing to economic growth and job creation across the country.
How Can Olsights Help?
Understanding and effectively managing large-scale grid and network upgrade projects requires sophisticated tools for data analysis and decision-making. Olsights, through its advanced visualisation platform Olsights Eye, offers comprehensive insights into infrastructure, regional energy demands, and decarbonisation strategies. By leveraging interactive digital mapping and analytics, Olsights facilitates:
- Stakeholder Engagement: Presenting complex data in an accessible format to aid collaboration across utilities, government, and communities.
- Scenario Analysis: Identifying optimal pathways for integrating renewables, improving grid resilience, and ensuring efficient project execution.
- Opportunity Identification: Highlighting key areas for investment and the potential economic and environmental benefits.
Our collaboration with SSEN Transmission on the REACT Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) project showcased Olsights’ ability to support the assessment of grid resilience and prioritisation of decarbonisation strategies. By developing tools for analysing grid capacity and renewable integration challenges, we enabled stakeholders to identify actionable solutions aligned with net-zero goals. This proven expertise positions Olsights as a critical partner in delivering transformative projects like those announced by National Grid, SSEN-T, and SP Energy Networks.
Contact us for more more information or a demo of our digital tools – hello@olsights.com
