The UK Government has unveiled the creation of Great British Grid (GBG), a new publicly owned entity operating within Great British Energy, aimed at accelerating the rollout of electricity network infrastructure (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero announcement, 30/09/2026). The initiative includes a package of reforms designed to simplify and speed up network access for projects and businesses. The government also intends to fast-track the competitive tendering process for transmission projects, enabling a broader range of organisations, including Great British Grid, to compete for the delivery of new network infrastructure.
In parallel, the government is already working alongside NESO and Ofgem to overhaul the grid connection framework. Measures include a reform of the connections queue and the removal of more than 300 GW of speculative capacity, according to the official statement. The government added that “Accelerating self-build connections has delivered significant benefits internationally, with similar reforms in Ireland reducing connection times by up to 11 months”.
The launch of GBG takes place against the backdrop of wider efforts to modernise the grid connection process. Network constraints continue to represent one of the main barriers to Britain's clean energy objectives. While wind and solar generation capacity has expanded significantly, transmission infrastructure has not developed at the same pace.
Furthermore, in July 2026, NESO published an updated edition of its 2024 Beyond 2030 recommendations, setting out the investment requirements for Great Britain’s electricity system. According to NESO, the country will need to commit approximately GBP89bn (EUR104bn) throughout the 2030s to upgrade and modernise its electricity grid.
Delays to these investments could lead to greater inefficiencies and increased costs for consumers. This revised estimate represents a 53% increase compared with the plan released in 2024. The proposed upgrades are intended to accommodate electricity demand that is forecast to rise by more than 30% by the mid-2030s (KEI, 03/07/2026).
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