National Grid Shares Plans for 'Vital' Network Upgrades to Support Port Talbot Green Steel Transition
The proposed Margam Connection Project will see the expansion of the existing Margam site with a new 275kV gas-insulated substation (GIS), details of which will be shared at the event. Plans for a second 275kV GIS on the Tata Steel site, and an underground cable connecting the two substations, were part of a separate planning process.
The project is a key step in enabling green steel production at Port Talbot and in supporting local jobs, while also providing capacity for future energy connections in the region, National Grid said.
On Monday Tata Steel broke ground on its EAF at Port Talbot, marking the start of construction on its new low carbon steelmaking facility that will be powered through the new substations.
National Grid will be working with principal contractor Laing O'Rourke to build its two new GIS facilities, both using innovative switchgear technology which is free from sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) – a commonly used electrical insulator that is also a potent greenhouse gas.
Using SF6-free insulating gas in the substations helps reduce the sites' physical and environmental footprints, and marks another step towards National Grid's ambition to reduce SF6 emissions from its network by 50% by 2030.
Details for the Margam Connection Project's public information event are as follows:
Date: Thursday 17 July 2025
Time: 2:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Margam Community Centre, 39 Bertha Rd, Port Talbot, SA13 2AP
The project will hold a 28-day statutory pre-application consultation (PAC) before National Grid submits its planning application to Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council later this summer.
Richard Gott, project director at National Grid Electricity Transmission, said:
'Our Margam Connection Project will help deliver a cleaner, more secure energy future for South Wales, while supporting sustainable growth in one of the region's key industries.
'By enabling the electrification of Tata Steel's operations, we're not only supporting the UK's transition to green steel but also helping to safeguard jobs and strengthen the local economy. We look forward to engaging with the community and hearing their views.'
Laing O'Rourke's managing director for its Europe hub, Peter Lyons, said:
'We're proud to be part of the Margam Connection Project delivery team, continuing our partnership with National Grid. Through early collaboration, we have worked together on the design and implementation programme, National Grid has valued both our unique operating model and our technical expertise. This project is another fantastic example of how we're helping to deliver cleaner and more secure energy for the UK.'
Across Wales and England, National Grid is planning £35 billion of investment in its transmission network between 2026 to 2031 to connect new clean power sources, help electrify the industries of today and tomorrow, and support economic growth in Britain.
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