John Pettigrew, the Chief Executive of National Grid, has discussed plans for an ultra high voltage onshore transmission network at the Aurora Spring Forum, aiming to support Britain‘s economic goals beyond 2050.
Mr Pettigrew has stressed the need for innovative solutions to meet rising electricity demands and promote economic growth, drawing parallels to past infrastructure developments.
John Pettigrew has advocated for a forward-thinking approach to design a network capable of sustaining growth for the long term, highlighting the importance of robust infrastructure planning for future generations.
John Pettigrew said: “But today, just like in the 1950s, we find ourselves with a network that’s constrained. Demand on the grid is growing dramatically, and forecast to double by 2050 as heat, transport and industry continue to electrify.
“Future growth in foundational technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing will mean larger scale, energy intensive computing infrastructure.
“Demand from commercial data centres will increase six-fold, just in the next ten years, and in homes, there will be an increasing shift towards heat pumps and electric vehicles.
“And so, as we consider the increasing constraints on the current ‘supergrid’, we’re once again at a pivotal moment. A moment in time that requires innovative thinking and bold actions to create a transmission network for tomorrow’s future.”
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