National Grid opened a public comment window for early plans for the 6.9-GW Cross Border Connection project between England and Scotland, which could cross Hadrian's Wall.
“The need for the Cross Border Connection was identified by the National Energy System Operator, because more grid capacity is urgently needed between England and Scotland to transport cleaner electricity from sources like onshore and offshore wind. Electricity demand is set to grow by 50 percent over the next decade, including in Cumbria, and this project will help deliver home-grown power to homes, business and public services across the region and beyond,” the operator stated.
National Grid proposes two route options. Option A would connect to a new substation north of Carlisle, near the existing Harker substation, with a 28-kilometer (17.4-mile) overhead line. Option B would connect to a substation south of Carlisle, covering a longer 47-kilometer route that crosses Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site just north of the River Eden, where remnants survive underground. Both routes traverse landscapes that already include power lines, roads, and modern infrastructure. National Grid emphasized that it is committed to minimizing impact on heritage sites and will engage experts and local communities during the consultation.
The consultation, running until December 10, includes six in-person community events, four webinars, and delivery of over 11,000 newsletters to households and businesses. Angela Hosford, project director for the Cross Border Connection at National Grid, said: “We’re at an early stage in the design process, and the feedback we receive during this consultation will play a crucial role in shaping how we move forward.” Feedback will inform refined proposals ahead of a further consultation prior to the planning application under the Development Consent Order process in 2028. Construction could begin in 2030, with operations expected by 2033.
Earlier, Iberdrola’s Scottish Power Ltd. published a public consultation report on the Scottish section of the project. SP Energy Networks noted that community concerns focused on potential impacts on properties, the local tourist economy, heritage sites, and the environment. “In response, and based on community and stakeholder feedback, we significantly revised the preferred route corridor, taking it further away from key heritage and tourist sites and other sensitive areas,” the company said.
SP Energy Networks environmental planner Marlene Marimbe added: “The next step for us is to carry out extensive and detailed investigation, including a full Environmental Impact Assessment. This will enable us to evolve the proposals and move from a preferred route to a specific alignment with exact information on tower positions, access routes and how we will go about constructing the scheme, if consented. We are on track to share the detailed proposals with the community at a further round of consultation in late 2026.”
The Cross Border Connection is part of National Grid’s Great Grid Upgrade, comprising 17 major infrastructure projects across England, Scotland, and Wales to expand and modernize the electricity network for renewable integration.
