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ClimateQuiet 10d · day 11

UK unveils £150bn plan to rebuild ageing power grid amid rising bills

Guardian analysis maps a decade-long grid overhaul needed to hit climate targets and shield Britain from energy shocks, as watchdogs warn of delays and rural opposition grows.

newest coverage 10d agosummary written 11d ago14 pieces55 likes & upvotes NewswiresGoogle NewsMastodonRedditBluesky

What to know

  • Britain will build five times more transmission infrastructure by 2030 than in the previous three decades, requiring over 4,000 miles of new power lines by 2041.
  • Total investment is estimated at more than £150bn (£64bn by 2030, £89bn beyond), largely funded through surcharges on household energy bills.
  • The National Audit Office has warned that dozens of grid projects risk delay, which could add further strain on consumers already facing near-term bill rises.
  • Rural communities along planned routes are protesting the scale of visible infrastructure, framing it as an 'energy invasion'.

Keith Bell Professor of electronic and electrical engineering, University of StrathclydeNational Energy System Operator (Neso) UK grid system operatorNational Audit Office UK government spending watchdog

UK unveils £150bn plan to rebuild ageing power grid amid rising bills
theguardian.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 9 pieces in 3h at Sep 13, 1 AM; 14 pieces over 11 days (3 articles · 10 posts · 1 comment) Sep 13, 1 AM — 9 pieces · 3 articles · 5 posts · 1 comment — Mastodon 5, Reddit 2, Google News 1, +1 moreSep 13, 4 AM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Mastodon 1, Bluesky 1Sep 13, 7 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 13, 10 AM — quietSep 13, 1 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 13, 4 PM — quietSep 13, 7 PM — quietSep 13, 10 PM — quietSep 14, 1 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 14, 4 AM — quietSep 14, 7 AM — quietSep 14, 10 AM — quietSep 14, 1 PM — quietSep 14, 4 PM — quietSep 14, 7 PM — quietSep 14, 10 PM — quietSep 15, 1 AM — quietSep 15, 4 AM — quietSep 15, 7 AM — quietSep 15, 10 AM — quietSep 15, 1 PM — quietSep 15, 4 PM — quietSep 15, 7 PM — quietSep 15, 10 PM — quietSep 16, 1 AM — quietSep 16, 4 AM — quietSep 16, 7 AM — quietSep 16, 10 AM — quietSep 16, 1 PM — quietSep 16, 4 PM — quietSep 16, 7 PM — quietSep 16, 10 PM — quietSep 17, 1 AM — quietSep 17, 4 AM — quietSep 17, 7 AM — quietSep 17, 10 AM — quietSep 17, 1 PM — quietSep 17, 4 PM — quietSep 17, 7 PM — quietSep 17, 10 PM — quietSep 18, 1 AM — quietSep 18, 4 AM — quietSep 18, 7 AM — quietSep 18, 10 AM — quietSep 18, 1 PM — quietSep 18, 4 PM — quietSep 18, 7 PM — quietSep 18, 10 PM — quietSep 19, 1 AM — quietSep 19, 4 AM — quietSep 19, 7 AM — quietSep 19, 10 AM — quietSep 19, 1 PM — quietSep 19, 4 PM — quietSep 19, 7 PM — quietSep 19, 10 PM — quietSep 20, 1 AM — quietSep 20, 4 AM — quietSep 20, 7 AM — quietSep 20, 10 AM — quietSep 20, 1 PM — quietSep 20, 4 PM — quietSep 20, 7 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 1 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 7 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quiet 1
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  1. 1

    Guardian publishes mapped analysis of the £150bn megaproject

    The Guardian publishes an interactive analysis mapping the more than 4,000 miles of new power lines required by 2041 to unblock transmission bottlenecks and meet climate and energy security goals.

    “If we don’t have enough transmission network capacity, we won’t be able to make full use of renewable energy resources. We will then be more dependent on fossil fuels, with greater vulnerability to fossil fuel price shocks and higher CO2 emissions…”
    — Keith Bell, professor of electronic and electrical engineering, University of Strathclyde
    1. 2 outlets Mapped: the £150bn megaproject that aims to protect Britain from energy shocks

      first by Mastodon, 11d ago · also The Guardian

    • Very prominent use of # openstreetmap power network data in this Guardian article https://www. theguardian.com/business/ng-in teractive/2026/sep/13/mapped-150bn-megaproject-aims-to-protect-britain-from-energy-shocks

      russss@chaos.socialMastodon11d ago10▲view on Mastodon ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 5 posts in this stretch
    • stephenjarvis.bsky.social

      Nice piece from @theguardian.com too about the scale of the upgrades on the way, and the challenges delivering them on time.

      stephenjarvis.bsky.socialBluesky11d ago6▲view on Bluesky ↗

    • I'm glad we're finally being reactive. I'm sure the right will find some way to ruin this; but for the time being - good start.

      TennisSkirt1628r/ukpolitics11d agoview on r/ukpolitics ↗
    all of them →
  2. background

    Rural residents mobilise against new pylons and cables — Communities along planned transmission routes protest the visible scale of new infrastructure cutting across the countryside, with some describing it as an 'energy invasion'.

  3. background

    National Audit Office warns dozens of grid projects risk delay — The NAO warns the government that numerous grid infrastructure projects risk falling behind schedule, potentially straining consumers further even as bills rise to fund the works.

  4. background

    Neso estimates £150bn+ needed for grid upgrade — Britain's National Energy System Operator estimates £64bn is needed for transmission projects by 2030 and a further £89bn beyond that, more than £150bn in total, largely funded through household bill surcharges.

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