Burnham will unveil plans for a new public body intended to invest in the country’s electricity grid, the government has said, as the prime minister prepares to make reducing household energy costs a central theme of his first conference speech as Labour leader. The move is presented as part of a broader push to modernise infrastructure and tackle affordability for consumers.
The proposed entity is described by officials as an institution that would channel public capital into network upgrades and long-term projects on the power system. Backers say such structures are designed to support the pace of grid improvements needed to accommodate new sources of generation and to strengthen system resilience, though formal details on scope, funding and governance are yet to be published.
The announcement comes ahead of the ruling party’s conference, where the prime minister is expected to make energy bills a defining domestic priority. He will use the platform to underline the government’s intention to ease cost pressures for households and businesses, linking the grid investment plan to wider efforts to secure reliable, lower-cost electricity over the medium term.
Industry groups, regulators and opposition figures will now be looking for clearer information on how the public body will operate alongside existing market institutions, how it will be financed and what mechanisms will ensure accountability. Parliamentarians are likely to seek scrutiny of any legislative or budgetary steps required. The unveiling is likely to shape discussions about the pace of energy transition, infrastructure spending and the government’s approach to balancing investment, consumer costs and regulatory oversight.
