Yorkshire GREEN About the project Work on the ground Frequently asked questions Latest news Get in touch
What is Yorkshire GREEN?
Yorkshire GREEN involves the upgrade and reinforcement of the high-voltage electricity network in Yorkshire to improve the transfer of clean energy across the country.
Yorkshire GREEN will allow cleaner energy to flow into homes and businesses that need it in Yorkshire and beyond. It will provide a new connection and reinforcement on the electricity transmission system, whilst supporting ambitious net zero targets set by the UK Government.
The project is a key part of delivering The Great Grid Upgrade – the largest overhaul of the electricity transmission network across England and Wales in generations.
What are the key benefits of the project?
Increased resilience and security of our electricity grid
New and reinforced electricity infrastructure will increase the resilience of the electricity transmission network to cope with both current and predicted future increases in demand to help future-proof our power supply.
- Supporting greener technology
Yorkshire GREEN will play a key role in upgrading our electricity transmission network to allow the renewable energy we produce in the UK to be distributed to communities across the country.
- Enhancing the local environment
We will be boosting the current level of biodiversity across the site area by at least 10%, leaving the area in a better condition than when it was found including woodland restoration and enhancement, new planting and improving wildlife habitats.
What does Yorkshire GREEN involve?
Delivery of Yorkshire GREEN will see the following work undertaken:
Substation construction and maintenance:
We are building two new electricity substations. One will be at Overton and one at Monk Fryston.
Overton Substation
The new substation at Overton will be located just off Overton Road, northwest of York. It will have an approximate footprint of 60,000m2 (6 hectares), and it will include six gantries, which are bridge-like structures with platforms used to support equipment and cabling. There will be three new pylons near to the substation, but these are not within the boundary of the substation.
There will be underground cabling within the substation to connect one of the circuits from the overhead lines into Overton Substation. The substation will contain four Super Grid Transformers (SGT). These convert the voltage of the overhead lines (400kV) to connect into the substation (275kV).
Monk Fryston Substation
The new Monk Fryston substation will be located adjacent to (and connecting into) the existing Monk Fryston Substation, which otherwise would be unable to accommodate the additional energy flowing from the upgraded overhead lines. The new substation will be accessed off Rawfield Lane, which is located near the villages of Monk Fryston, Lumby and Fairburn, between Leeds and Selby.
The new substation at Monk Fryston will have a footprint of approximately 80,000m2 (8 hectares), which will take the overall footprint of both substations at Monk Fryston combined to 147,000m2 (14.7 hectares). The structures within the new substation are still being designed but, in line with the Development Consent Order, they will be no greater than 15m in height.
The new substation will contain four Super Grid Transformers (SGT) to convert the voltage of the overhead lines (400kV) to connect into the substation (275kV) and will include approximately 600m of underground cables to connect the overhead line circuits to the new substation (all within the new substation boundary).
Minor works at Osbaldwick substation
In addition to building two new substations, we will be undertaking minor works at the existing Osbaldwick Substation, including installing a new circuit breaker (a safety device that stops the flow of current in an electric circuit) and an isolator (a device used for isolating a circuit or equipment from a source of power). All new infrastructure at Osbaldwick will be located within the existing boundary of the substation. To find out more about substations, please click here.
New and upgraded overhead lines:
We will be building new overhead lines to carry electricity to our new substations, as well as upgrading sections of existing overhead lines between Shipton and Monk Fryston to allow them to operate at a higher voltage. This means they will be able to carry more electricity.
This work will see 28km of existing overhead lines reconducted and strengthened, 10km of new overhead lines installed, 1km of new underground cables installed and the construction of 33 new pylons.
Cable sealing end compounds:
A cable sealing end compound joins underground cables with overhead lines. They are needed where a section of underground cable carrying electricity ends and the circuit continues onto an overhead line. We will be building two new connection points at both Tadcaster Tee and Shipton Tee.
Where is Yorkshire GREEN?
Yorkshire GREEN is situated in Yorkshire. The project area runs from the north of York at Shipton (located northwest of York) down to Monk Fryston (located between Leeds and Selby) in North Yorkshire as well as along the eastern border of West Yorkshire around Leeds. We will also be working on our existing substation in Osbaldwick, to the east of York.
View the map below to see where the route is located or use our interactive map to find out what work will be happening near you.
Construction will begin in autumn 2024 and is expected to be completed by 2028.
The timeline below details our anticipated construction programme:
Community benefit
We want to leave a lasting positive impact where we build our projects to help those areas and communities thrive and to support a sustainable future.
There are four key areas where we believe we can bring benefit to local communities who are hosting the infrastructure that supports the green energy transition:
- Natural environment – we will build partnerships with environmental groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) where we can support initiatives that enhance the landscape, biodiversity and availability of green space within the areas where we are constructing our projects
- Net zero – we will work collaboratively with local authorities and partner organisations to offer our expertise and support in delivering the net zero priorities for that region
- Skills and employment – we will extend our Grid for Good programme, which supports socio-economically disadvantaged young people aged 16-25, - to deliver training and skills development in the region that will ultimately deliver employment opportunities in the net zero industry. In addition to this, we will work with our suppliers to develop opportunities for local employment and to bring benefit to the local economy through our projects. We will also work with schools and local authorities to encourage the next generation of engineers and help the long-term unemployed develop new skills
- Community Grant Programme – through our Community Grant Programme, charities and not-for-profit organisations can apply for a grant towards community-based initiatives that deliver social, economic and environmental benefits.
Community Grant Programme
National Grid’s Community Grant Programme is aimed at community organisations and charities in areas where National Grid’s electricity transmission work is impacting local people through our operations and construction activities.
The programme provides grants of up to £20,000 to fund projects that meet local community needs by providing a range of social, economic and environmental benefits.
To find out more about eligibility and how to apply, visit: https://www.nationalgrid.com/responsibility/community/community-grant-programme
What's energy resilience got to do with movie marathons? Find out how – and why – we’re connecting more clean energy to power the things you love.
Find out more