National Grid Plans £31 Billion Transmission Expansion to Curb £12 Billion Wind Curtailment Costs
National Grid’s CEO warns wasted wind and solar could incur £12 billion in constraint costs over five years, up from £1.5 billion annually now. To avoid fees tripling, the company plans a £31 billion transmission expansion funded by doubling charges on energy bills, lifting levies from £21 to £43 by 2031.
1. Surge in Constraint Costs
National Grid projects that payments to curtail wind and solar output will rise from £1.5 billion this year to as much as £12 billion over the next five years, driven by grid capacity shortfalls and an influx of renewable projects.
2. Expansion Plan Details
The company proposes a £31 billion build-out of hundreds of miles of new high-voltage transmission lines over five years, financed by more than doubling the network charge added to energy bills.
3. Consumer Bills Impact
Household network charges would increase from £21 annually to £43 by 2031, but new connections are expected to save each consumer about £40 per year by reducing constraint payments.
4. Opposition and Landscape Concerns
Local communities and planning groups oppose the extensive pylon network, arguing that new overhead lines devalue properties, damage landscapes and primarily benefit the company and its shareholders.