National Grid Submits Application to Upgrade Electricity Network Between Norwich and Tilbury

National Grid has submitted an application to the Planning Inspectorate, to build a new electricity transmission network upgrade between Norwich Main substation in Norfolk through Bramford substation in Suffolk and a new Tilbury North substation into Tilbury substation in Essex.

The Norwich to Tilbury project will boost electricity capacity across East Anglia, a region with limited transmission infrastructure. The project is part of The Great Grid Upgrade, 17 major infrastructure projects in England and Wales designed to help deliver more homegrown British energy to where it is needed, supporting increasing demand for electricity across East Anglia and the whole of the country, as well as boosting local economies, creating jobs, and providing cleaner, more affordable energy. 

The projects are vital to increase Britain’s energy security and meet growing demand for electricity in the future. With demand expected to double by 2050, the upgrade will provide enough electricity to power up to six million homes and businesses.

A public engagement with environmental assessments and technical work has helped National Grid develop final plans for the proposed works, which is expected to witness the construction of a new, 180 km high voltage electricity transmission line using a combination of overhead line and underground cables. 

The project received around 20,000 pieces of community feedback, which led to changes, including the introduction of an underground cable section near Great Horkesley, close to Dedham Vale National Landscape. Construction will begin in 2027 and take around four years, considering the application receiving development consent.