The National Grid is continuing its efforts to beef up the UK’s electricity infrastructure to support the growth of the nation’s datacentre sector, with a project that will bolster power grid flexibility across Oxfordshire.
The organisation, which is responsible for the generation, transmission and distribution of power across the UK, confirmed it has started work on upgrading a 400kV substation in Didcot, Oxfordshire that will be used to connect datacentres to the grid.
The work will be overseen by power station construction and management company Linxon, which has previously collaborated with the National Grid on several other infrastructure projects – including its efforts to future-proof the capital’s electricity supplies through its London Power Tunnels 2 initiative.
Angel Guijarro, managing director of Linxon Europe, said the company’s involvement in the project is a “testament to our strong partnership with National Grid” and their shared want to help the UK’s electricity infrastructure become more sustainable.
“We are committed to delivering a turnkey solution that will enhance the reliability and efficiency of Didcot substation, benefiting both local and national communities,” he added.
The Didcot site is located around two miles away from the UK government’s first confirmed artificial intelligence (AI growth zone (AIGZ) in Culham, Oxfordshire, at the headquarters of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).
Due to its proximity to the site, the National Grid said the upgraded substation will “support Britain’s digital ambitions while boosting grid capacity for future projects to plug in” and take advantage of.
This is on the back of projections, shared by the National Grid, that show electricity demand in Britain is expected to double by 2050, with demand from datacentres alone set to triple from 3% of the country’s total in 2025 to 9% by 2035.
Aside from supporting datacentres, the National Grid said the extended facility will also be used to connect 650MW of battery energy storage at the site, which will be used to bolster the amount of flexible, zero-carbon power available in the region.
“The upgrade will see the existing 400kV outdoor air-insulated substation extended with three bays and three supergrid transformers, while a 132kV indoor gas-insulated switchgear facility will be built next door – minimising the footprint of the development and its impact on the environment,” said the National Grid in a statement.
Peter Hancock, project director at National Grid Electricity Transmission, said the project will also contribute towards the National Grid achieving its goal of reducing its network sulphur hexafluoride emissions by 50% by 2030, which is a greenhouse gas commonly used as an electrical insulator.
“Our Didcot substation extension marks another step forward in powering the UK’s digital future,” he said. “By enabling new datacentres and battery storage systems to connect to the grid, we’re supporting both the energy transition and the growth of the digital economy regionally and nationally. And with [sulphur hexafluoride]-free technology at its heart, this project reflects our commitment to building a cleaner, greener electricity network for generations to come.”
News of the Didcot substation expansion comes several months after the National Grid confirmed it was in the process of building a sizeable substation in Buckinghamshire to support the growing demand for electricity and grid connections in West London for datacentres.
The work is part of a planned five-year investment push, valued at £35bn, by the National Grid that is geared towards increasing the UK’s electricity generation capacity, and making it easier for datacentres and gigafactories to connect to the grid.
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