Britain | The Great Rewiring

Britain needs an unprecedented expansion of the electricity grid

That means a bigger role for the state, whoever wins the election

FA-2 is a subsea electrical interconnector, running beneath the English Channel between France and the United Kingdom.
Photograph: National Grid

For decades the electricity grid—the mix of inverters, pylons, substations and transformers that connects sources of energy to consumers—has barely featured in British politics. Fuel burned, turbines spun and transmission lines hummed as energy moved from power plants to urban centres. Distribution grids took over from there, carrying energy over the last mile into factories and homes, so machinery could whirr and kettles boil.

Explore more

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “The Great Rewiring”

From the January 6th 2024 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from Britain

Crew members during the commissioning of HMS Prince of Wales

Has the Royal Navy become too timid?

A new paper examines how its culture has changed

A pedestrian walks across the town square in Stevenage

A plan to reorganise local government in England runs into opposition

Turkeys vote against Christmas


David Lammy, Britain’s foreign secretary

David Lammy’s plan to shake up Britain’s Foreign Office

Diplomats will be tasked with growing the economy and cutting migration


Britain’s government has spooked markets and riled businesses

Tax rises were inevitable. Such a shaky start was not

Labour’s credibility trap

Who can believe Rachel Reeves?