At Haush, we believe that understanding the fabric of the UK’s energy landscape is vital for building a smarter, greener future.
Central to this landscape is the National Grid, a complex network of stakeholders, systems, and infrastructure that ensures electricity flows reliably from generators to homes, businesses, and industries across Great Britain.
A New Era: The National Energy System Operator (NESO)
As of October 2024, the UK’s energy system has entered a new chapter with the launch of the National Energy System Operator (NESO). NESO, now publicly owned and operationally independent, takes charge of balancing the electricity and gas systems in real time. Its remit also stretches to strategic planning across electricity, gas, and emerging hydrogen sectors. By developing future energy scenarios and designing market frameworks, NESO is setting the course towards a decarbonised, secure, and affordable energy system.
Stakeholder engagement sits at the heart of NESO’s mission, ensuring that industry expertise, public policy, and innovation are integrated into the future of Britain’s energy systems.
The Backbone: Transmission Network Owners (TNOs)
While NESO orchestrates the system, the heavy lifting of maintaining and expanding the UK’s high-voltage transmission networks is the responsibility of Transmission Network Owners. Key players include National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) in England and Wales, Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (part of SSE) in the north of Scotland, and SP Energy Networks in the south.
These organisations are tasked with maintaining thousands of kilometres of 275kV and 400kV lines, ensuring that electricity generated from a wide range of sources, from nuclear, gas, solar, and offshore wind, can be transported efficiently and securely to where it’s needed.
From Generation to Connection
Power generators, a dynamic mix of companies such as EDF, RWE, SSE, and Ørsted, are the originators of Britain’s electricity supply. They operate power stations that harness energy from a range of renewable and traditional sources, selling their output into a highly competitive market.
Offshore, the UK leads the world in offshore wind capacity. Here, Offshore Transmission Owners (OFTOs) play a crucial role, owning and maintaining the assets that connect offshore wind farms to the onshore transmission system. Licensed by Ofgem, these operators ensure that the green power generated far out to sea makes its way safely and reliably onto the mainland grid.
Bridging Borders: The Rise of Interconnectors
Energy security increasingly depends on international cooperation. Interconnector operators manage high-voltage direct current (HVDC) links that connect the UK with neighbouring countries such as France (IFA and IFA-2), the Netherlands (BritNed), Belgium (Nemo Link), Norway (North Sea Link), Denmark (Viking Link), and Ireland (Moyle and East-West Interconnectors).
These interconnectors allow Britain to import and export electricity, smoothing out supply and demand fluctuations, improving system resilience, and helping to integrate renewables more effectively into the energy mix.
Powering Communities: Distribution Network Operators (DNOs)
Closer to home, Distribution Network Operators take over, managing the lower-voltage networks that deliver power directly to homes and businesses. Their responsibilities include maintaining the reliability of local supply, integrating localised generation sources, and facilitating connections for new developments.
Investing in Tomorrow’s Grid
Massive investment is underway to futureproof the system. National Grid has announced a £58 billion plan to overhaul infrastructure, including a high-capacity “electrical spine” designed to transport renewable electricity from Scotland to the energy-hungry regions of southern England. In parallel, Ofgem has approved £4 billion of accelerated investment to secure critical grid equipment and avoid future supply chain delays.
The scale of ambition is clear. With the UK targeting up to 86 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2035, offshore transmission infrastructure, interconnectors, and a resilient onshore network will be more crucial than ever.
The Haush Perspective
At Haush, we are eager to see the rapid evolution of the UK’s energy system towards a low-carbon, interconnected future. We see an energy landscape where smart technology, strategic investment, and stakeholder collaboration drive cleaner, more resilient power networks.
Understanding the National Grid is not just a technical exercise; it is a glimpse into the future of how our homes, businesses, and communities will be powered. At Haush, we are proud to be part of this exciting journey by producing green energy like hydrogen on Pembroke Dock, Wales.
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