National Grid Electricity Transmission is running a consultation on our proposals to build a substation in the Navenby area.

The way we generate electricity in the UK is changing rapidly, as we transition to cheaper, cleaner and more secure forms of energy like solar farms.

We need to make changes to the network of overhead lines, pylons, cables and other infrastructure that transport electricity around the country, so that everyone has access to the clean electricity from these new renewable sources.

You can find out more information here on the proposed new substation, approximately 1.4km from the village of Navenby.

There is a shift towards renewable energy sources, meaning there is a greater demand on our network to connect new sources of electricity and customers. In the Navenby area several organisations have requested new power connections to the national grid network, and as a regulated business, we have a legal obligation to meet these requests. 

 


 

New substation in the Navenby area

To connect several proposed solar farms in the area, including Springwell Solar and Fosse Green, a new 400 kV substation is needed. It is not possible to connect everything proposed in the area to existing regional substations such as Bicker Fen.

The proposed substation will be located to the north of Heath Lane, with access from Heath Lane. The substation will be set back from the road and cover approximately 32 acres. It will be an ‘open air’ substation with a maximum height of 15 metres. Four new pylons will also need to be constructed as part of the plans, and two existing pylons will be dismantled.
 

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Navenby Substation

View larger version of indicative image of substation

We have identified this site as the best option through a formal substation siting study, where five possible sites were shortlisted. From these five evaluated sites in the local area, a rigorous optioneering process was carried out, taking into consideration the impact on the local community, proximity to the existing overhead line to reduce the need for new pylons, environmental factors, land availabilty and other key measures. Through consideration of all of these factors, the site 1.4km from Navenby was selected as the most suitable location.

Travel to the site, both during construction and once the site is operational, will be via the A15 and Heath Lane. Construction traffic will not be directed through Navenby village. There will be a temporary speed limit of 30mph along Heath Lane during construction, to enhance safety as a result of slow-moving vehicles entering and exiting the site. We will also be providing clear signage around the location during construction to make sure our vehicles use the agreed traffic measures.

Our consultation

Your feedback is crucial to help us develop the project. Our consultation is now open until Wednesday 16 October 2024, and open to anyone with an interest in our proposals. We are accepting feedback during this period, which can be submitted via our online form here. We also accept printed feedback forms via email, our freepost, or in person at our consultation event.

We will have printed copies of our feedback form at the consultation event. If you would prefer to receive any information relating to the consultation through the post, or you need it in another format, please get in touch.

We are holding an in-person consultation event on Friday 27 September 2024 between 3pm-7pm. Information about our proposals will be on display and members of the project team will be available to talk through our proposals and answer any questions.

There is no need to book; you only need to turn up on the day. The address is:

The Venue, Navenby, Lincoln
LN5 0JJ

You can also register online for a webinar session, taking place on 1 October 2024 at 6pm, where we will present details of our proposal followed by an open Q&A session.

Documents

You can view all of our published consultation documents and materials below. 

Consultation newsletter
Printable feedback form
Who is National Grid?

National Grid sits at the heart of Britain’s energy system, connecting millions of people and businesses to the energy they use every day. We bring energy to life – in the heat, light and power we bring to our customer’s homes and businesses; in the way that we support our communities and help them to grow; and in the way we show up in the world. It’s our vision to be at the heart of a clean, fair and affordable energy future.

National Grid is a group of companies, and one of those companies, National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET), owns, builds and maintains the high voltage network in England and Wales. It is NGET who is developing plans for the Navenby Substation project.

Within the National Grid Group there are other distinctly separate legal entities, each with their individual responsibilities and roles. More information about National Grid can be found on the ‘about us’ section of National Grid’s website.

What is NGET?

NGET owns, builds and maintains the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales. This network operates primarily at 400,000 volts (400kV) and 275,000 volts (275kV).

What is the Navenby Substation project?

National Grid Electricity Transmission is consulting on proposals to build a new substation in the local area, approximately 1.4km from Navenby, Lincolnshire.

There is a shift towards renewable energy sources, meaning there is greater demand on our network to connect new sources of electricity and customers. The proposed substation at Navenby is in response to the increase in connection requests through the Electricity System Operator (ESO) and increased consumption of electricity that will continue to grow. In the Navenby area  several developers have requested new power connections from National Grid, including Springwell Solar and Fosse Green and, as a regulated business, we have a legal obligation to meet these requests.

What is the size of the substation?

The substation will be set back from the road and cover approximately 32 acres. It will be an ‘open air’ substation, with the equipment installed on site a maximum height of 15 metres. . The proposed substation is contained within one site.

How will you minimise the impact of construction traffic on the local road network during construction?

Access and transport will be considered as part of our planning application. This will include an estimation of vehicle numbers and types, and will consider the potential impact of this on the existing traffic numbers. We will put in place a Traffic Management Plan to help reduce disruption.

How is your project linked to the proposed solar farms?

In the Navenby area several developers have requested new power connections from National Grid, and as a regulated business, we have a legal obligation to meet these requests. Due to the number of requests in the local area, a new substation is required to connect these developers.

What are the next steps?

We will be analysing your feedback and refining our proposals ahead of submitting a planning application in Spring 2025. Following this construction will begin in Summer 2026.