Plans for ‘electrical spine’ through Britain will ‘upset a lot of people’

The revelation of proposals to build a new ‘electrical spine’ through Britain has fired the “starting pistol” on what will become a “very nasty debate” over infrastructure, an industry expert has cautioned.

Adam Bell, director of policy at the consultancy Stonehaven, said the Electricity System Operator’s (ESO) latest plan for upgrading the transmission network will “upset a lot of people” living alongside proposed new power lines and present an “immense political challenge” going forward.

The former government official was responding to the ESO’s new “blueprint” for building out the transmission network to accommodate the vast quantity of new generation that will be needed to meet the government’s target of delivering a net zero power sector by 2035.

The plan is a follow up to the ESO’s Holistic Network Design (HND), which set out the transmission upgrades that will be required to connect the 50GW of offshore wind generation that the government is aiming to deliver by the end of this decade.

The ESO said meeting the 2035 target will, among other things, require the deployment of up to 86GW of offshore wind capacity.

To connect this generation to the grid and transmit electricity from the north of the UK down to demand centres in the south, the ESO has proposed the construction of numerous new power lines, including multiple offshore “bootstraps” running along the east coast of the country.

The longest of these would directly link an offshore windfarm off the coast of Peterhead in the North of Scotland with Kent in the South East of England. The wind farm in question would also be connected to several other arrays in the area.

The ESO said its £58 billion blueprint has been designed to accommodate 21GW of additional offshore wind generation from the ScotWind leasing round.

To minimise the impact of new grid infrastructure on local communities, the plan features three times as much new underwater cabling as new onshore routes. However, given the huge volume of power that will need to be transported south and the much higher cost of subsea cabling for the same amount of capacity, the ESO said new onshore power lines are also “vital”.

It has therefore recommended the construction of a new “high-capacity electrical spine” running from near Peterhead through central Scotland to the North West of England.

“Our proposed electrical spine will not only increase accessibility to low-cost, clean energy but also improve the robustness of our network,” the ESO explained. “By doing this, upgrades to the existing infrastructure can become beneficial, further reducing the costs associated with the congestion on the electricity network while minimising wider impact to the environment and communities.”

It has also recommended the construction of the first transmission line connecting North and South Wales.

ESO executive director Fintan Slye said: “Great Britain’s electricity system is the backbone of our economy and must be fit for our future. ESO’s Beyond 2030 network design outlines recommendations on the investment needed and how and where to coordinate the build of this new critical national infrastructure.

“To deliver the clean, secure, decarbonised system set out by government and devolved governments we must take swift, coordinated and lasting action working collaboratively across all parts of the energy sector, government, the regulator and within our communities.”

Commenting on the proposals, Adam Bell told Utility Week: “I think it’s going to upset a lot of people, but I also think this is unavoidable. We have to rewire the country. We’re going to have to upgrade the country to deliver a cheaper version of a low-carbon energy system than we otherwise would.”

He added: “Without that we will be stuck with very high constraint costs and very high costs from less productive wind assets. And we will have a system that is really designed for where generators were in the past, rather than where they’re going to be now.”

Bell said the release of the new blueprint is “very much the starting pistol for what will be in some cases a very nasty debate around the fact that we will build stuff in the UK again. I’m very much in favour of building things, whereas large swathes of the country are unfortunately not.”

Bell said it makes sense “to a degree” to try and avoid some of this controversy by routing cables offshore where it is cost effective, but even so, progressing the ESO’s proposals will present an “immense political challenge”.

The plan was welcomed by Energy UK chief executive Emma Pinchbeck who said: “The proposals set out by the ESO capture the necessary level of ambition to get the UK on track for economic growth, job creation, and a more cost-efficient energy system which best uses new technologies and demand from today’s customers.

“Everyone in energy is working at an accelerated pace to ensure the lowest cost electricity generation is connected to new and existing types of demand across the country, and that this is done in the fairest way possible to all customers.”

She added:  “It is critical that the plan considers local needs, and that industry and government minimise the amount and impact of energy infrastructure, but we also know that the future energy system will vastly improve the way we power our homes and businesses in this country.”

To facilitate its delivery, Pinchbeck said the government must “streamline the planning process and begin engaging with communities”.

Nick Winser, commissioner at the National Infrastructure Commission, described the blueprint as “a welcome step forward”, adding: “It’s critical that this investment is delivered quickly. This will require coordinated action from transmission owners, government and Ofgem, including ensuring that the planning system is not a blocker to delivery. The communities hosting this infrastructure must also see direct benefits from its deployment.”

Tom Faulkner, head of assets, infrastructure and networks at Cornwall Insight, said: “With our sights set on a secure, low-carbon electricity grid by 2035, proactive planning and increased funding are paramount to efficiently distribute power to areas in greatest need. While solutions like high voltage direct current undersea cables off the east coast of Great Britain may carry hefty price tags, they represent the type of forward-thinking required to satisfy nationwide demand.

“Nevertheless, a blend of optimism and realism is necessary when considering our renewable energy ambitions. The 2035 forecasts for wind and solar capacity outlined in the report are notably ambitious compared to our current estimates. Achieving these targets will demand substantial investment, not only in grid infrastructure but also in the renewable generation assets themselves. It’s imperative to recognise the challenges ahead.”