Overview
The North London Reinforcement (NLR) project will upgrade the electricity network across North London.
We are modernising substations that have been in use for over 60 years and doubling the capacity of existing overhead lines between Pelham and Hackney. This will allow more home-grown electricity, including cleaner and more affordable sources, to flow through the network, strengthening energy security and supporting growing demand.
This project is part of The Great Grid Upgrade – the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations.
As the UK moves towards cleaner energy and uses more electricity for heating and transport, demand is expected to increase significantly. Existing equipment wasn’t designed to carry the amount of electricity we need to meet this growing demand.
To make sure everyone has access to secure, cleaner and more affordable home-grown energy, we must build new projects as well as upgrade the infrastructure we already have.
Projects like NLR focus on reinforcing the existing network, allowing more energy to flow through the system and supporting the UK’s transition to a cleaner and more secure energy future. The project will support growing demand for power across North London and surrounding areas.
Project timeline
2024–2026 – Enabling works, surveys, and final permissions
2026–2029 – Main construction works across the route
2029–2030 – Testing, commissioning, demobilisation and site reinstatement
From 2030 – NLR fully operational
Community benefit
We expect a Community Fund of more than £3.5 million to be available across the NLR project route. The details of how this fund will work are still being developed and will be shaped by community priorities.
As the project progresses, we will work closely with residents, community groups, charities and elected representatives to understand what matters most and how the fund could support long-term, meaningful benefits for local areas. Alongside this, we are already working to deliver a range of social value activities for NLR. This includes running talks and workshops with local schools about science, engineering and future careers. We also promote local job and skills opportunities, and support charities and community projects through staff volunteering. Environmental volunteering is another crucial part of this work – we’ve taken part in local clean-ups and worked to improve wildlife habitats. These activities help us to make a positive difference in the areas impacted by our work, during construction and beyond.
Latest project updates
All current updates are available on our In your area pages, where you can find site-specific information about works taking place near you. You can also visit our FAQs for more information about the project and what to expect as works progress.
To help you plan ahead, details of any planned road closures or traffic management measures are shared on our Traffic management page.
We encourage you to register your details via our online form so you receive information as it becomes available. This includes our digital newsletter, where we share the latest news and key updates of our work to date.
You can also follow our WhatsApp channel for real-time updates on our activity. For more information, please read our dedicated Frequently Asked Questions document, which includes the QR code you
Contact us
If you'd like more information or want to speak with a member of our community relations team about the works, please:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0800 538 5398
Freepost: FREEPOST NATIONAL GRID NLR