Powering the Future: ESO's £58 Billion Grid Transformation for Britain's Energy Needs

The Electricity System Operator (ESO) recently published a report called "Beyond 2030", in which it proposed a £58 billion investment in the UK’s electricity grid.

The plan would represent the biggest change to the network since the high voltage transmission grid was established back in the 1950s.  So, what will this involve, and why does the ESO believe such a significant project is required?

Britain's electricity demand is projected to rise by rise by 64% by 2035, and to double by 2050.  That growth is expected to come as both businesses and domestic users transition towards using more power for heating and charging electric vehicles.  In order to meet that demand, new connections and greater capacity will be needed.

The UK’s commitment to Net Zero has already led to significant investment in renewable and low carbon generation, and Britain has become one of the global leaders in offshore wind.

A problem with offshore generation is transporting it back from remote locations to where it is required.  For example, the ESO’s plan outlines a further 21GW of offshore wind in development off the coast of Scotland.  Once completed, there will be more than 30 GW of offshore wind generation in Scottish waters, whereas Scotland’s forecast peak demand is just 6 GW.

As things currently stand, when generation exceeds demand (or the capacity of the network) the ESO has to employ curtailment – the practice of requiring generators to turn off their assets in times of high supply. 

The ESO’s plan is to renovate the network and create a new “spine” running North and South between the UK and Scotland, which will allow the network to manage and transport the increased supply of renewables more effectively.  Doing so would help avoid curtailment, and reduce reliance on other forms of generation which might carry a more substantial carbon footprint.

As with any large construction project there can be opposition, and unsurprisingly the overhaul of an entire electricity network is no different.  The ESO acknowledged in their report that the project would require a robust planning process.  However, satisfying all parties would be a difficult – and expensive – proposition.

Using underground cables (to limit the number of pylons and overhead cables) can cost up to five times more, and are more problematic to maintain.  Offshore cables (which would limit the impact on land) can be even more costly, without being any less harmful to the environment they’re placed.

As the ill-fated HS2 has shown, the process of implementing a large-scale project which runs for hundreds of miles across Britain can be fraught with issues. 

The focus should now be on determining as swiftly as possible whether or not the ESO’s proposal is viable.  A project of this size will require an extended consultation period prior to implementation, and if there are alternative solutions to be considered – such as investment in storage methods, or using excess power to produce Hydrogen – these must be identified and examined quickly. 

With the Climate Change Act binding the UK to strict carbon reduction targets, time is of the essence, and renewables cannot go to waste.