The North London Reinforcement project (NLR) kicked off in October
The North London Reinforcement project (NLR) kicked off in October, bringing together National Grid, contractors, and external partners to discuss how to make the project a success and continue to deliver The Great Grid Upgrade (TGGU).
Contractors and partners including Murphys and Arup, along with Lee Valley Regional Park, attended NLR’s official launch day in October to kickstart the over 40km project that will see the reconductoring for overhead lines between Pelham and Hackney.
NLR is the first of 26 Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) projects to enter construction at National Grid. NLR will play a significant part in TGGU, which will strive to meet the UK Government’s plans to power all homes and businesses with green energy by 2030.
The event focused on collaboration and relationships, ensuring all partners work as a collective to deliver NLR as one team. NLR will facilitate two-way communication between the project team and communities, offering a chance to benefit the communities where we will operate and encourage discussions by everyone in local communities to share ideas to support the programme. We will ensure NLR is a success and leaves a positive lasting legacy by supporting local schools and working with local authorities to improve community buildings and greenspaces.
Attendees participated in various workshops during the event, teaching project team members about the importance of following the consented DCO guidelines and how National Grid is prioritising sustainability and biodiversity in the project. Teams also created core principles, ways of working, and joined a session on health and wellbeing.
Furthermore, attendees welcomed the former Formula 1 motor racing executive Mark Gallagher as the event’s keynote speaker, who discussed managing risks and safety to deliver a successful project. National Grid, contractors, and partners all signed a safety charter to ensure that safety is a top priority, focusing on the health and wellbeing of the project team during delivery.
Government targets to connect 50GW of offshore wind by 2030, as well as increased demand across the network, led to the NLR project being brought forward as part of the ASTI programme.
Due to the uplift in renewable energy being generated by offshore wind, solar and other sources around the country, it’s imperative that we overhaul the electricity grid and keep up with the capital’s increasing energy demands.
By reinforcing the network between Pelham and Hackney, we will be able to:
- Increase the supply of energy generated from renewable sources
- Secure the reliability and cost of energy in London.
Looking ahead to 2025, the project will continue to work on confirm the requirements of the Development Consent Order (DCO) with local authorities and enabling works such as vegetation clearance and creating access routes. This will pave the way for construction work to begin along the route, from Hertfordshire to North London.
