National Grid has launched an £8 billion Electricity Transmission Partnership (ETP) to accelerate the delivery of key infrastructure and support the UK's clean energy ambitions.
The new model will underpin the construction or upgrade of around 130 substations across England and Wales through to 2031, as part of National Grid's wider £35 billion RIIO-T3 investment plan.
Designed to transform how National Grid collaborates with suppliers, the ETP introduces regional delivery partnerships and long-term contracts to give partners greater certainty, encourage investment, and build local skills and capacity.
Suppliers will be rewarded for performance and given first refusal on future work in their region.
Regional delivery partners include:
Linxon and Burns & McDonnell have been appointed as national partners to support other projects.
In July, £1.3 billion in initial work was allocated to these partners, with further contracts to follow.
Energy Minister, Michael Shanks, said: "This £8 billion partnership from National Grid is proof of that – providing a boost for Britain’s supply chains, investing in the future of our highly skilled workforce and helping to deliver clean, homegrown power that we control".
Alice Delahunty, President of National Grid Electricity Transmission, said: "Our Electricity Transmission Partnership marks a bold shift in how we deliver vital electricity infrastructure. By adopting a regional, long term approach, we’re giving our supply chain the certainty to invest in people, skills and innovation".
The ETP is part of a broader ecosystem of initiatives, including the Great Grid Partnership and an HVDC supply chain framework.
Together, they aim to provide the scale and resilience required to deliver the UK's transition to a low-carbon energy system.
