Britain’s grid planning is being rewired as the National Energy System Operator launches a first of its kind regional blueprint to steer billions of pounds of network investment.
NESO has published its transitional Regional Energy Strategic Plan setting the direction for electricity distribution upgrades between 2028 and 2033 and marking its first major move as strategic energy planner for Great Britain.
This is the bridge between an outdated system built for passive demand and a future driven by electrification local generation and rising peak loads.
The plan gives distribution network operators a clear steer on where capacity is needed as housing growth accelerates electric vehicles surge and electricity replaces gas in homes businesses and transport.
It is also the first step towards bespoke regional energy planning for Scotland England and Wales replacing one size fits all assumptions with local reality.
Demand is rising fast. New homes data centres electrified industry heat pumps and charging infrastructure are all stacking pressure onto networks that were never designed for two way power flows.
At the same time more local renewables storage and flexible assets are connecting at distribution level turning passive grids into active systems.
NESO’s message to network companies is – Build where growth is coming not where it used to be.
More than 2,800 stakeholders fed into the plan through regional forums with nearly 2,500 submissions shaping priorities from industrial clusters to local housing pipelines.
Crucially the plan has been developed alongside Ofgem and the six DNOs so it can be used directly in business plans rather than sitting on a shelf.
From here it becomes real. DNOs will use the plan to justify investment proposals for the next price control period with customers and local authorities expected to stay engaged as plans firm up.
The transitional plan also sets up the bigger shift. From late 2026 NESO will publish 11 full Regional Energy Strategic Plans covering the whole energy system not just electricity.
Julian Leslie, Director of Strategic Energy Planning and Chief Engineer at NESO, said: “This is a key moment in shaping Great Britain’s energy future and creating a blueprint for future local regional and national energy needs.”
Energy Minister Michael Shanks called it a milestone in modernising the grid adding that regional planning is central to delivering clean power while protecting billpayers and supporting skilled jobs.
For a system straining under new demands this is the first sign that planning is finally catching up with reality.
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