Recent Additions to the EDC
Browse details of new data, projects and publications added to the EDC
24/04/2026
36 new projects added
GRN: NIA_UKPN0116
Period: 01/12/2025 to 30/09/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
Vegetation encroachment around overhead lines poses significant risks to electricity reliability, public safety, and operational efficiency. UK Power Networks currently relies on manual tree cutting operations, which are labour-intensive, high-risk, and costly particularly in rural and hard-to-access areas. This project aims to address these challenges through the design, prototype, and evaluation of drone-based tree cutting solutions that improve the safety, efficiency, and scalability of vegetation management around HV overhead lines. The key objectives being to reduce Customer Interruptions (CIs) and Customer Minutes Lost (CMLs), minimise safety risks to personnel and the public, and lower operational costs, whilst ensuring compliance with regulatory and environmental standards.
GRN: NIA2_NGET0074
Period: 01/06/2025 to 31/03/2027
Funding Source: Ofgem
For the integration of offshore wind in the eastern region, a multi-infeed HVDC power system will be formed. However, the geographical proximity poses a risk of converter interactions, potentially diminishing or even worsening regional grid support performance. This project aims to develop a coordinated design and control strategy for the multi-infeed HVDC power system to prevent converter interactions and enhance regional voltage and frequency support. It is anticipated that this coordination will improve voltage retention and recovery, mitigate voltage and frequency variations, and reduce the likelihood of cascading instability events.
GRN: NIA_UKPN0113
Period: 01/11/2025 to 30/09/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
Cool Runnings will explore the technical and practical implementation of the Smart Heat Variable Transformer Rating method. The Smart Heat NIA project investigated different approaches to manage the impact of network overloads due to the increase in network demand caused by the uptake of heat pumps (HP). Cool Runnings will investigate the extent to which capacity released by applying variable ratings in distribution transformers, can support the additional load from HP uptake for various network designs (building type; transformer size, age, design) and ambient conditions. This phase of the project will develop an initial variable rating algorithm and define the laboratory testing required to prove it which will be conducted in future phases.
GRN: ENA_10158670
Period: 01/05/2025 to 01/08/2025
Funding Source: Ofgem
Data centres are rapidly emerging as a concentrated and growing source of electricity demand. Their scale, speed of deployment, and clustering tendencies pose a unique set of challenges for NGETs transmission network planning. As this demand accelerates, it becomes critical to understand not only the total load increase, but also the location, timing, and operational characteristics of new facilities. This project focuses on understanding and visualising data centre projections, alongside a review of possible network mitigation strategies. The objective is to support NGETs understanding of the key factors influencing data centre siting and operation, and to inform strategic planning by improving visibility of potential future scenarios both across the England & Wales transmission network and at the GSP level within distribution networks.
GRN: NIA_ENWL034
Period: 01/08/2025 to 28/02/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
The project addresses National Grid's challenges in efficiently engineering substations due to the absence of standardized templates aligned with IEC61850 technical reports 90-30 and 7-6, along with limited experience with Basic Application Profiles (BAPs). By exploring and testing BAP concepts, the project aims to develop machine-readable BAP templates in SCL format, enhancing substation engineering efficiency and reliability while integrating advanced technologies. A key innovation is a smart interface that enables users to select appropriate BAPs for specific substation designs. Utilizing the Helinks STS tool, the project will automate the creation and integration of these templates, modernizing energy infrastructure and supporting a more resilient and sustainable energy system. Successful execution could set a benchmark for future engineering practices within National Grid and the industry.
GRN: ENA_10166558
Period: 01/10/2025 to 01/05/2028
Funding Source: Ofgem
EQUINET aims to tackle inequality in energy network connections by enabling disadvantaged communities, smaller local authorities, and community-centric organisations to access capacity fairly and efficiently. The project combines network and demographic analysis, engagement strategies, policy recommendations, and digital tools to remove systemic barriers and support an inclusive energy transition.
GRN: NIA2_NGET0092
Period: 01/06/2025 to 30/06/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
As the network evolves rapidly, its dynamic behaviour is becoming increasingly complex, potentially introducing new performance challenges for inverter control. The control and performance requirements for inverters are also evolving in tandem with these network changes. This project aims to enhance our understanding of emerging and applied VSC HVDC modelling and controls, which includes evaluating their suitability for the required performance, examining the interaction and instability mechanisms of multiple converters, and providing validated generic models of these systems. This understanding is essential for identifying the necessary control and performance requirements, gaps in specifications, and areas for modelling improvement. Ultimately, this will help mitigate risks for Great Britain's future network and support the energy transition needed to achieve the Net Zero target.
GRN: ENA_10166260
Period: 01/11/2025 to 01/05/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
Flex Forward will identify, prioritise, and validate high-impact flexibility use cases beyond traditional congestion management. The project will provide robust evidence to accelerate low carbon connections, and guide fair investment decisions, ensuring UK Power Networks flexibility services remain future proof and deliver maximum value for customers, stakeholders, and the wider energy system.
GRN: NIA2_NGET0090
Period: 01/07/2025 to 31/03/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
The project will identify and suggest ways to use customer flexibility services to accelerate new connections. Flexibility services will be assessed on their ability to resolve the network, process and regulatory constraints which delay the connection of new generation, storage and demand projects while mitigating or removing the need for the new connecting customers to accept a curtailable or flexible connection agreement, which might result in them having reduced access to the network. It will also explore the potential for associated benefits to be realised such as customer flexibility working as a bridging solution to allow for the real-world impacts of the new connection on the network to be realised. By allowing such real-world impacts to be better understood, network planning engineers are then able to optimise network reinforcement based on this or potentially avoid the need for network reinforcement at all, lowering costs for the development of the network.
GRN: NIA2_NGET0096
Period: 01/08/2025 to 31/03/2025
Funding Source: Ofgem
The expanding and interconnected electricity network poses challenges for National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) in monitoring and assessing network resilience. Currently, tracking resilience involves multiple metrics on separate Power BI pages, making it difficult to view overall resilience and hindering timely decision-making during storms or major events. This fragmented approach can lead to suboptimal maintenance and repair decisions. To address these challenges, the proposed project aims to incorporate probabilistic risk analysis to further improve resilience assessments, enhance decision-making accuracy using risk scores, and identify weak areas in the network. Additionally, simplify monitoring through a holistic map view. Ultimately, the project seeks to improve network resilience by streamlining risk identification and establishing minimum resilience levels for substations. FRAME II will be the second phase following the Proof-of-Concept (POC) phase in NIA2_NGET0075 Framework for Risk Analysis and Modelling of Events (FRAME I) .
GRN: NIA2_NGET0072
Period: 01/10/2025 to 31/10/2027
Funding Source: Ofgem
This project builds on the development of tape and spray solution using graphene nanoplatelets in EPDM to mitigate SF6 leakage, initiated by previous NGET project. The aim is to create elastomer nanocomposites that address the leakage challenges associated with SF6 alternatives, particularly gas mixtures. These material systems will be engineered to possess similar permeability to all gas components within a mixture and provide excellent barrier properties at various operating temperatures. The key objectives are: (1) to develop material systems that can seal air mixture, C4F7N with CO2, or N2 as a binary mixture and/or tertiary mixture including the addition of O2; (2) to validate these material systems through permeability testing at different temperatures; and (3) to validate the tape solution in a representative scaled demonstrator system.
GRN: NIA_UKPN0114
Period: 17/10/2025 to 17/01/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
In alignment with National Grid Electricity Transmissions (NGETs) objectives of achieving net-zero construction, we aim to evaluate the suitability of polymer rebars as a sustainable alternative to traditional reinforcement used in concrete structures to demonstrate these materials suitability. The aim of this project is to develop a proof of concept demonstrating that fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement can be developed and utilised as an alternative to steel reinforcement for foundations within substations. This study will identify the most appropriate FRP material to meet substation load and atmospheric conditions, considering factors such as electric and thermal conductivity, fire resistance, resistance to oil, and impact resistance due to short-circuits.
GRN: NPG_NIA_055
Period: 01/07/2025 to 31/10/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
Hydra is developing an innovative disaster recovery platform to ensure rapid restoration of electricity distribution control systems following cyberattacks, system failures, or infrastructure loss. As we transition to Net Zero, the network will become more complex and digitally controlled to accommodate increasing volumes of low carbon technologies and flexible demand. Maintaining reliable system oversight and response capabilities becomes ever more critical.By maintaining a live, air-gapped, view-only replica of the Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS), Hydra enables near-instant failover and recovery. Unlike existing backup and recovery systems that have redundant nodes, its architectural innovation, combining real-time data streaming, automated server builds, and transaction roll-forward capabilities, sets a new industry benchmark for operational resilience that is currently not in use by the electricity distribution sector today.
GRN: ENA_10168330
Period: 01/11/2025 to 01/02/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
This project aims to enhance Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) within Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) across a defined segment of the network. By addressing traditional access control limitations, the initiative will establish a scalable framework that improves security, operational efficiency, and compliance with industry standards. Key objectives include assessing existing IEDs for necessary upgrades, launching a pilot project for real-world testing, and collaborating with technology partners and cybersecurity experts. The project will also involve implementing a robust monitoring system to evaluate effectiveness. Ultimately, this initiative will fortify the security of the National Grid, ensure reliable service delivery and contributing to the energy sector's stability.
GRN: NIA2_NGET0098
Period: 01/08/2025 to 30/11/2025
Funding Source: Ofgem
Incorporating vulnerable consumers in energy flexibility initiatives is essential for creating aninclusive and resilient energy system and supporting decarbonised power. Vulnerableconsumers, who typically have less control over their energy usage and fewer resources forenergy-efficient technologies, may struggle to participate. By ensuring their inclusion inenergy flexibility, it is possible to provide financial support, smart technologies, and incentives tailored to their needs. This enables vulnerable consumers to benefit from lower energy costs and participate in initiatives that offer rewards for flexible energy use. It also helps prevent widening inequalities in energy access, while enhancing overall system stability, reducing peak demand and enabling demand side flexibility as well as supporting the transition to low carbon renewable energy sources.
GRN: NIA2_NGET0094
Period: 01/08/2025 to 28/02/2027
Funding Source: Ofgem
The overarching Net Zero Terrace (NZT) concept uses the DNO network to decarbonise terraced housing by producing a community-led Smart Local Energy System (SLES) appropriate for those that might otherwise be left behind. NZT enables terraced communities across GB to decarbonise by increasing up-take of heat pumps, reducing costs to customers and deferring network reinforcement.This NIA project represents a key step in the demonstration of the NZT overarching solution by developing the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for the Home Energy Management System (HEMS) and testing interoperability, creating the specification for the Community Energy Management System (CEMS) and further developing the tools for the customer journey as well as improving understanding of data flows and building data governance strategy.
GRN: NIA2_NGET0091
Period: 01/06/2025 to 31/12/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
Powercast 2.0is a research-only project to explore the appetite for wider use of UK Power Networks Powercast API that was developed during the Powercast project. The project will engage Charge Point Operators, energy retailers, and public service partners to identify high-value use cases for real-time outage data. It will assess technical feasibility, stakeholder needs, and integration requirements to inform future development. Powercast 2.0 will generate strategic insights to support inclusive service design, improved outage communication, and future scalability.
GRN: ENA_10127932
Period: 01/11/2025 to 01/12/2029
Funding Source: Ofgem
This project investigates the potential of multi-vector microgrids to support decarbonisation and resilience in industrial and commercial sites, working with stakeholders including Nissan (TBC), Newcastle Airport, Port of Tyne, Northern Gas Networks and Neptune Brownfield Power Plant.
It focuses on integrating renewable generation, energy storage, and smart technologies while exploring hydrogen and gas as supporting vectors. The project will assess energy demand, infrastructure synergies, and regulatory challenges through stakeholder engagement and customer audits. The intended outcome of this project are optimised microgrid designs which will be evaluated for cost-effectiveness and scalability, aligned with the Regional Energy Strategic Plan (RESP) to ensure coordinated energy system development. Findings will inform future adoption of microgrids and contribute to the energy transition.
GRN: ENA_10158067
Period: 01/05/2025 to 01/08/2025
Funding Source: Ofgem
The project aims to enhance Distribution Network Operator (DNO) network modelling capabilities to make them scalable and future proof. This involves developing additional features and integrating the required datasets. If successful, the project will enable network modelling use cases including functionality to flexibly isolate sub-networks, state estimation, and integration of forecasts.Once complete, this open-source tool will enable members of the public to run power flow simulations using published models. This project will offer accessibility to network modelling capabilities for customers supporting innovation across the sector. Python Power will support the transition to Net Zero through better use of data and open innovation.
GRN: NIA_UKPN0115
Period: 01/10/2025 to 30/04/2028
Funding Source: Ofgem
Project SAFEGRID is an innovative Flood Prevention System project designed to transform how flood risk is assessed, monitored, and mitigated across the electricity distribution network. This initiative builds on NPgs strong track record of achieving compliance with the national flood resilience standard (ETR138) but recognises the urgent need to move beyond traditional, carbon-intensive physical mitigations such as concrete walls and site relocation.
GRN: NIA2_NGET0099
Period: 01/09/2025 to 30/09/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
The forecasted growth of heat pump and EV chargers exposes networks to increasing challenges associated with cold load pickup following a prolonged outage, i.e. the initial demand could be beyond design parameters. Having a method to control and gradually ramp up demand after these prolonged shutdowns will allow DNOs to maintain network stability and reliability.Smart Restart will develop and simulate a methodology for mitigating cold load pickup through smart meter-based load control. Central to the approach is the random offset feature built into smart meters, which could delay the reactivation of devices (such as heat pumps and EV chargers). Staggering when devices switch back on could prevent a sudden demand surge that could otherwise lead to a partial or total network shutdown.
GRN: NPG_NIA_056
Period: 01/08/2025 to 30/06/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
Following a successful StormTriageTM Closed-BETA project, the NPg Innovation team is exploring further development of the solution. The goal is to capture and submit high-quality optic and 3D data to NPg system experts, enabling remote situational awareness not previously possible. Initially, spotters will record damaged assets to generate accurate 3D photogrammetry scans viewable via a web app. Augmented Reality remote expert functionality adds real-time, human-centric triaging through the onsite frontrunner and mobile app. Timely communication of operational instructions is critical during storm events, as delays directly impact ETRs. A remote collaborative function would improve control, resource organisation, and speed and accuracy of network damage assessment among key NPg personnel.
GRN: NIA_ENWL_038
Period: 01/05/2025 to 30/06/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
There are knowledge gaps on the behaviour of SF6 alternative gases, especially for the C4-FN mixtures being used widely in GB networks. Type test procedure/standards developed for the SF6 gas may need to be updated for the non-SF6 gas mixtures especially for switching applications. A comprehensive literature review, experiment and arc modelling will be conducted to 1) understand the key aspects of the circuit breaker Type Testing standards and procedures and summarise the gaps in technical specifications in relation to the adoption of SF6 alternative technologies in the power grids, and 2) present and analyse the existing evidence in relation to the long-term variation in composition of the mixtures of C4-FN with CO2, CO2/O2, or N2/O2 in a switching environment.
GRN: NIA_UKPN0112
Period: 30/10/2025 to 28/02/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
Energising large power transformers during the early stages of Electricity System Restoration (ESR), when the network is weak and fragmented into isolated Power Islands, is challenging and leads to a variety of technical issues. With new ESR standards and increasing use of inverter-based resources, there is an urgent need for innovative tools to assess critical configurations, guide operational decisions, and identify necessary investments, while addressing modelling challenges in the EMT domain. Through this project, National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) will collaborate with Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to carry out fundamental research to identify the critical configurations for transformer energisation on the GB network during ESR, assess associated risks, define acceptable operational limits, and evaluate which configurations can be managed through operational measures.
GRN: NPG/PV/FND/Rd4_Discovery
Period: 01/05/2025 to 01/08/2025
Funding Source: Ofgem
Electricity transmission asset monitoring is a time consuming and laborious task, which is often inconsistent and not quantitative or reliable. The URHICA project proposes the use a UAV-based hyperspectral imaging system for condition assessment of steel lattice towers. Both hardware and software solutions including machine learning will be employed to allow automated grading of rust with high accuracy and distinguishing rust types.
GRN: NIA_UKPN0111
Period: 01/08/2025 to 31/03/2026
Funding Source: Ofgem
The evolving regulatory landscape for drones is unlocking the potential for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, enabling scalable missions across rural and remote areas. These operations can rapidly identify faults and accelerate power restorationespecially for vulnerable households such as the elderly, medically dependent, and low-income families. Beyond reactive response, BVLOS also supports proactive fault detection and emergency logistics, enhancing grid resilience, operational efficiency, and service continuity during severe weather events.
GRN: NPG_NIA_059
Period: 01/12/2025 to 30/06/2027
Funding Source: Ofgem
The aim of this project is to investigate and quantify the impact of increasing penetration of Renewable EnergySources (RES) on short-term voltage stability (STVS) and fault levels within Northern Powergrids future ED3network. As the scale and materiality of these impacts are currently uncertain, the project will deliver strategicinsights to inform investment decisions and support the development of NPgs Distribution System OperabilityFramework (DSOF).Through dynamic modelling, RMS and EMT simulations, and stakeholder engagement, the project will:Identify critical system conditions that may lead to voltage instability.Assess the influence of inverter-based resources (IBRs), including Grid Following and Grid Forming converters.Develop open-source tools for forecasting fault levels and STVS risks.Provide recommendations for future mitigation strategies and integration into business-as-usual planning.This initial phase (WP1) will focus on literature review, exploratory modelling, and analysis. Further developmentwill be considered based on the findings and their value to NPgs strategic planning
