The new public body aims to speed connections, attract investment, and support Britain’s growing need for cleaner electricity infrastructure.

The UK government has announced the Great British Grid (GBG), a publicly owned body within Great British Energy that will invest in electricity network infrastructure, compete for transmission projects and work alongside existing operators as power demand rises and new clean-energy capacity comes online. The initiative is part of reforms designed to accelerate grid connections and expand electricity capacity.

Great British Grid to Work Alongside Operators

Great British Grid will work with developers, investors and network operators while competing in transmission tenders as competitive procurement expands. The government said GBG will bring public and private investment together to support projects needed to modernise the UK electricity grid.

Ofgem will remain the independent economic regulator, while the National Energy System Operator (NESO) will retain responsibility for operating, planning and coordinating the electricity system. Great British Energy will continue investing in clean power generation, storage and supply chains, while GBG focuses on network infrastructure.

UK Electricity Connections Face Major Reform

The announcement comes as the electricity connections system undergoes major changes. Reforms involving NESO and Ofgem include an overhaul of the connections queue and removal of more than 300GW of speculative capacity.

Further grid expansion will be needed as demand increases among households, businesses and industry, while renewable generation and storage projects seek additional capacity. The government also plans to expand self-build connections, allowing developers and businesses to construct their own connection infrastructure.

Officials point to similar reforms in Ireland, where self-build arrangements have reduced connection times by up to 11 months. The UK changes aim to reduce delays and help projects progress faster.

Transmission Competition Brings Industry Debate

Great British Grid will compete for transmission projects as the government accelerates competitive tendering. Its involvement is expected to complement private-sector investment and not affect commitments under Ofgem licences already in force or under negotiation.

Initial GBG start-up costs will come from Great British Energy’s existing budgets, while longer-term funding will be considered through a future spending review.

Taco Engelaar, SVP at Neara, said public ownership alone would not resolve the grid’s constraints, pointing to regulatory barriers, shortages of skills and materials, and the need for faster infrastructure delivery.

As electricity demand grows, Great British Grid will form part of efforts to expand transmission capacity and improve how projects connect to Britain’s power network.

Thus, Business Fortune believes that GBG could strengthen grid expansion if reforms accelerate investment, innovation, infrastructure delivery, and long-term energy capacity.