London’s electricity backbone has just been strengthened deep underground.
Power is now flowing through the first of two new high-voltage circuits linking National Grid’s New Cross substation in Southwark to Hurst in Bexley as part of the £1 billion London Power Tunnels 2 project.
The newly energised circuit runs for 18km beneath South London through tunnels up to 50 metres deep replacing ageing infrastructure that has quietly kept the capital powered since the 1960s.
It marks a major milestone for one of the most complex grid upgrades ever delivered in a dense global city.
The new connection supplies electricity to around 340,000 homes and businesses across south east London feeding into UK Power Networks’ distribution system via the New Cross and Hurst substations.
The second circuit between New Cross and Hurst is due to be switched on in the new year completing the replacement of the original twin cable route which at nearly 22km long was once the longest AC transmission link in England and Wales.
This latest energisation follows earlier sections of London Power Tunnels 2 being brought online between Hurst and Crayford in 2024 and 2025 forming the eastern end of the route.
When complete the project will span 32.5km across seven south London boroughs from Wimbledon to Hurst future-proofing the capital’s electricity network as demand rises and more power is drawn from electric transport heat pumps and data-heavy infrastructure.
Joe Senior Project Director at National Grid Electricity Transmission said: “Switching on this circuit on a new part of our London Power Tunnels 2 project is a significant achievement for our engineering and delivery teams.
“This milestone marks another step in reinforcing London’s electricity network and keeping the city connected to safe and reliable power into the future.”
Underground tunnels for London’s grid power up appeared first on Energy Live News.