Latest news with #NationalGridElectricityTransmission
RTÉ News
23-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Fire that shut Heathrow Airport to cost it 'tens of millions'
The boss of Heathrow has revealed the chaotic closure of the London airport in March after a substation fire is expected to cost it tens of millions of pounds. Chief executive Thomas Woldbye said the financial impact of the temporary closure caused by a power outage was expected be in the "low tens of millions". The group is now waiting for a report from energy watchdog Ofgem to finalise its findings into the incident to see if it can claim compensation from National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET). No flights operated at the west London airport until about 6pm on March 21 because of the blaze which started late the previous night. More than 270,000 air passenger journeys were disrupted by the incident. Mr Woldbye told PA the group had "learnings" to take away from the incident. A report into events clarified that Mr Woldbye had been asleep with his phone on silent as the overnight decision to close the airport was taken. "That is one learning and that will not happen again. I would have liked to see my personal role play out differently," he said. "That said, we need to have procedures in place that ensures that this company can take the right decisions at the right time by the right people, no matter what the situation is," he said. "An organisation like ours has to be able to manage, whether the captain's on the bridge or not," he added. In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he denied misjudging what it meant to be the head of one of the world's busiest airports. Ofgem has launched an official enforcement investigation into NGET after a report found the fire that caused the shutdown of Heathrow was due to a preventable technical fault. The report by the National Energy System Operator (Neso) said an "elevated moisture reading" had been found in oil samples at the North Hyde substation in west London in July 2018, but that action was not taken to replace electrical insulators known as bushings. The comments came as the airport revealed half-year profits fell by more than a third despite seeing passenger numbers soar to a record high. The group posted a 37.2% drop in pre-tax profits to £203 for the six months to June 30 as its costs surged, partly driven by a higher wage bill after last autumn's budget measures. Its passenger numbers rose to a record 39.9 million in the first half, up 0.3% on a year earlier.
The National
17-07-2025
- Business
- The National
£2.5bn Scotland-England electricity 'superhighway' names preferred bidder
Eastern Green Link 4 (EGL4), a joint venture between SP Energy Networks and National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET), will transport green electricity between Fife and West Norfolk and onto the network via a 530km high voltage subsea cable. EGL4 is one of five proposed subsea links between Scotland and England being delivered through joint ventures with Scottish transmission owners. Together the five links will be capable of powering up to 10 million homes Ofgem gave the green light to the £2.5 billion project last year. Construction is currently expected to begin in 2029, with the link becoming operational in 2033. READ MORE: Scottish unemployment falls while UK rate rises to highest since pandemic Two converter stations will be built at the cable's two landfall points, Torness in East Lothian, and Hawthorn Pit in County Durham, changing the electricity from alternating to direct current – the most efficient way for it to travel long distances. Specialist boats will be used to lay cables across the seabed and bury them throughout the route before connecting them to the grid. READ MORE: James Goode, project director for EGL4, said: 'Reaching preferred bidder stage is a key milestone for EGL4 and a sign of the progress being made on this vital infrastructure project. Siemens Energy brings strong expertise in HVDC converter station delivery and will be a critical partner as we prepare to build this subsea superhighway. "EGL4 will help create the capacity our electricity system needs for the future, connecting clean, home-grown energy to homes and businesses and strengthening the UK's energy security.' Deputy project director and head of converter delivery, Iain Adams, added: 'The east coast of Britain is playing a vital role in transforming the electricity network as we build another bi-directional link between Scotland and England, helping to reduce constraints on the network, increase energy security and promote economic growth. "We're pleased to be partnering again with National Grid to deliver EGL4 and are excited to welcome Siemens Energy and the wealth of expertise they will bring to this project.
Evening Standard
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Evening Standard
Heathrow fires: What caused the substation blaze which led to travel chaos
According to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband: 'The report is deeply concerning, because known risks were not addressed by the National Grid Electricity Transmission, and Ofgem has now opened an official enforcement investigation to consider any possible licence breaches relating to the development and maintenance of its electricity system at North Hyde.
Telegraph
26-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Electric ‘superhighway' delayed in blow to Miliband's net zero plans
A £2bn electricity 'superhighway' linking England and Scotland is facing delays in a blow to Ed Miliband's clean power plans. Eastern Green Link 1 risks missing its target completion date because of global equipment shortages. The project involves a 120-mile cable being built between Scotland and north-east England that is capable of transmitting enough power for 2m homes. The upgrade is meant to ease grid bottlenecks and is seen as one of the most vital enablers of plans laid out by Mr Miliband, the Energy Secretary, for a 'clean' power system in 2030. Without it, officials have warned that the cost of 'constraint' payments to wind farm owners – where turbines are paid to switch off because the grid is too congested – risk ballooning by almost £900m per year. The project has been granted fast-track status by Ofgem, the energy regulator, and given a target delivery of Dec 31 2028 at the latest. After that point, developers SP Energy Networks and National Grid Electricity Transmission would face fines. However, the companies have warned that the scheme has been hit by delays and are pleading for relief from fines until at least April 2030 – suggesting there is a risk the project will be severely late. SP Energy and National Grid blamed global shortages of key pieces of equipment, including high-voltage cables and converters, which countries around the world are racing to buy as part of the switch to green energy. That has led to years-long wait times, with manufacturers racing to expand their capacity but struggling to keep up with demand. The problem highlights the risk posed to Mr Miliband's clean power plans by a lack of available parts. Kathryn Porter, an independent energy analyst, said: 'To achieve the Clean Power 2030 target we must build twice as much grid infrastructure in the next five years as we delivered in the past decade. 'But supply chain constraints make this an unachievable goal, particularly when we note that the lead time for some transformers is now four years.' In November, the National Energy System Operator (Neso) – the quango responsible for managing the operation of Britain's power grid – highlighted Eastern Green Link 1 as one of four upgrades that would have 'the highest impact on the country's ability' to hit Mr Miliband's target. It has warned that some 80 infrastructure upgrades must all be delivered by the end of this decade in order for Mr Miliband's plan to succeed. At the time, the Neso said Eastern Green Link 1 was expected to be complete by 2030. However, the Government said the latest estimate was April 2029. According to Ofgem, the project is running at least six months later than previously expected. The regulator has said it is 'minded' to reject the application for relief from fines, arguing that SP Energy Networks and National Grid Electricity Transmission knew about global supply chain issues and that the delays are the companies' own fault. A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman said: 'Our Clean Power Action Plan sets out how we will deliver a new era of clean electricity, with the most ambitious reforms to the country's energy system in a generation. 'As shown by the National Energy System Operator's independent report, clean power by 2030 is achievable and will deliver a more secure energy system, which could see a lower cost of electricity and lower bills. 'We support Ofgem in ensuring projects are delivered by 2030, to protect bill payers on our journey to clean home-grown power.' The spokesman added that state-owned Great British Energy and the National Wealth Fund would invest in UK supply chains. They also pointed to a £350m investment by Sumitomo Electric Industries in a new high-voltage cable manufacturing facility at the Port of Nigg, Highland, Scotland.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ofgem may penalise National Grid-SP Energy JV for project delays
UK gas and electricity markets regulator Ofgem is considering imposing penalties on the National Grid Electricity Transmission and Iberdrola's SP Energy Networks joint venture (JV) for delays in the completion of the Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1) project, as reported by Reuters. The JV requested a 480-day penalty exemption for the delays, citing global supply and capacity issues. However, Ofgem noted these challenges were not present during the EGL1 tender and said that the firms should have planned to manage them. EGL1 is a 2GW 196km long high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link connecting Torness in East Lothian, Scotland, with Hawthorn Pit in County Durham. The project includes a subsea and underground cable system linking Scotland to northeast England. It is vital for the UK's goal of decarbonising its electricity sector by 2030. The multi-directional design of the transmission line will enhance network resilience and once operational, it will power two million homes. In November 2024, Ofgem approved a £2bn ($2.57bn) funding package for the project, which began construction in February 2025. The completion of the project is anticipated for April 2029 - 16 months behind schedule. This delay could result in output delivery incentive penalties, designed to ensure efficient and timely project delivery, amounting to up to 10% of the project's expenditure. If Ofgem's current stance holds, the JV could face penalties until 25 April 2030, extending beyond the current exemption until 31 December 2028. An EGL1 spokesperson stated they would present further evidence on the supply chain issues during Ofgem's consultation period to support their case for exemption. In March 2025, Ofgem relaxed procurement rules, allowing transmission operators to fast-track £4bn in electricity grid investment. "Ofgem may penalise National Grid-SP Energy JV for project delays" was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
