Households near new power pylons will receive a discount of £250 a year on their energy bills, the UK government has confirmed as it advances more than 40 electricity grid upgrade projects across Great Britain. Officials describe the programme as part of the biggest upgrade to the electricity grid since the 1960s, and say the payments recognise the role of local communities that host new transmission infrastructure.
The government said the scheme will cover homes located within 500 metres of proposed new overhead lines, with eligible households receiving up to £2,500 over ten years. The announcements apply to more than 40 locations across Great Britain and are intended to compensate residents for proximity to the new pylons while the wider upgrade work is carried out.
Network operators, including the National Grid, have outlined plans to increase transmission capacity to connect additional sources of low-carbon generation. The government said the planned projects aim to support the integration of renewable power and strengthen the national supply network; payments to nearby households are presented as a local mitigation measure linked to those upgrades.
Details on how individual households will be identified for the payments and the administrative arrangements will be set out by the responsible departments and network companies as schemes progress. Ministers and operators have framed the package as a contribution to communities that host essential infrastructure during the transition away from fossil fuels, while emphasising that the upgrades form part of a national programme of transmission investment.
