Ofgem approves £642m for electricity grid upgrade

Energy regulator Ofgem has approved £642m to upgrade part of the region's electricity grid.

The money will be used for a National Grid Electricity Transmission project to "bolster" the network between Suffolk and Essex.

The project includes about 11 miles (18km) of new overhead lines and about seven miles (11km) of underground cables between the villages of Bramford, near Ipswich, and Twinstead, north of Halstead.

The plan was approved in 2024, despite Suffolk County Council's opposition amid worries about the environmental impact of its construction. Ofgem, in Tuesday's funding announcement, said the country needed a "bigger, stronger" grid.

As well as the overhead lines and cabling, there will be a new substation at Twinstead Green and the substation at Bramford will be upgraded.

Ofgem said the work would enable more low-carbon and renewable generation from the region to be connected to the grid to help meet future demand.

Beatrice Filkin, Ofgem's director of major projects, said: "Britain needs a bigger, stronger electricity grid to connect more homegrown clean power, strengthen energy security and reduce the bottlenecks that can add costs to the system.

"The cost of building this infrastructure now will be less than the longer-term cost of doing nothing."

Responding to the announcement, the RSPB said when the scheme had been proposed, one of the route options for the new power line was directly through Hintlesham Woods, near Hadleigh, which is part of its Wolves Wood reserve.

"We worked alongside partners including Suffolk Wildlife Trust and the Woodland Trust to oppose that route because of the potential impacts on ancient woodland and wildlife," said a spokesperson.

"Following consultation, National Grid removed that option from the proposals and brought forward an alternative route."

They said the RSPB recognised that upgrading the electricity grid would be "an important part of meeting net-zero ambitions and supporting the transition away from fossil fuels".

The statement added that the RSPB appreciated "that the wider scheme continues to be of concern to some local communities".

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