National Grid invites Derbyshire residents to share views on proposals for a clean electricity project that will boost home-grown energy supplies and progress towards net zero

  • National Grid is inviting communities in Derbyshire to view proposals for a new clean electricity project ‘Chesterfield to Willington’, a new overhead power line between a new substation in Chesterfield and an existing substation at Willington.
  • National Grid will consult communities for eight weeks, from 14 May to 9 July, to introduce the proposed project and ask for local peoples’ opinions.
  • The upgraded infrastructure will be able to transport 6 gigawatts of power – enough to power 6 million homes.
  • The project forms part of The Great Grid Upgrade, the largest overhaul of the grid in generations, with new infrastructure across England and Wales helping the UK meet its net zero ambitions, reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to lower energy bills over the long term.
     

National Grid is inviting communities in Derbyshire to comment on proposals for a new clean electricity power line project, which will help bolster energy supplies in the region and support the UK’s energy security strategy and net zero targets.

The eight-week public consultation, which starts 14 May and runs until 9 July, will share proposals for Chesterfield to Willington, a new 60-kilometre, high voltage electricity power line running between a new substation at Chesterfield (part of a separate project Brinsworth – High Marnham) and an existing substation at Willington.

The way homes and businesses in the UK use electricity is changing rapidly and with demand set to double in the coming years, a cleaner and a more secure form of energy is being generated by new offshore windfarms.

The grid was largely built in the 1960s with little to no transmission infrastructure supporting connections to offshore wind from the east coast of England and Scotland. Therefore, the existing power lines between the North and the Midlands do not have capacity to accommodate the increased power flows from offshore wind. Building a new power line between Chesterfield and Willington will increase the capacity in the centre of the country, enabling cleaner, greener energy to be carried around the network, benefiting homes and businesses in Derbyshire and beyond, and supporting the UK’s offshore wind and net zero targets.

The proposals follow the publication in 2022 of the Electricity System Operator’s ‘Pathway to 2030 Holistic Network Design’, which established the onshore and offshore electricity transmission network reinforcements required to meet government net zero targets, including the Chesterfield to Willington project.

The project also forms part of National Grid’s The Great Grid Upgrade, which will see other significant new infrastructure built across England and Wales to move more clean energy from where it’s generated to where it’s needed, helping the UK meet its net zero ambitions and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. It will also contribute to lower energy bills over the long term, provide a catalyst for a green jobs boom and make the UK’s energy more self-sufficient. Investment in the UK’s electricity network industry will contribute an average of £18.4bn to GDP and support around 220,000 jobs each year between 2024 and 2035.1

National Grid has recently announced the launch of a pioneering new partnership with seven supply chain partners, to address supply chain challenges and skills shortage across nine major infrastructure projects across England and Wales, which includes the Chesterfield to Willington project.

Leanne Evans, Project Director for National Grid said: “The government’s offshore wind and net zero targets means an increase in the amount of wind generation developed offshore.

“The new power line we are proposing will mean more clean energy generated, mostly from offshore windfarms can be carried and moved around the network in the Midlands to where it is needed, benefiting homes and businesses in Derbyshire and beyond.

“The launch of our consultation is the beginning of our engagement with communities and stakeholders along the proposed route corridor and we encourage people to share their views as we develop our proposals in more detail.”

The project is classified as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project under the Planning Act 2008 and requires a special type of planning application; a Development Consent Order (DCO). An independent panel of inspectors is appointed to review the plans of any DCO application. The inspectors issue a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Energy Security & Net Zero who makes the final decision whether to grant planning permission.

If permission is granted, construction would be expected to begin in 2028 and be operational in 2031.
 

Consultation information

Members of the public can take part in the consultations and speak with National Grid’s team by attending consultation events and online webinars, or by visiting https://www.nationalgrid.com/the-great-grid-upgrade/chesterfield-to-willington

Paper copies of consultation materials will also be available to view at several locations in the local area.
 

 In person events 

Shardlow
South Derbyshire District 
Thursday 30 May 2024  1:30pm-6:30pm  Shardlow Village Hall31 The Wharf, Shardlow, Derby DE72 2GH
Glapwell
Bolsover District 
Friday 31 May 2024  2pm-7pm  The Glapwell Centre   The Green, Glapwell S44 5LW   
Kilburn
Amber Valley District 
Monday 3 June 2024  2pm-7pm  Kilburn Village Hall  7a Church Street, Kilburn, Belper DE56 0LU  
Alfreton
Amber Valley District 
Tuesday 4 June 2024  2pm-7pm  Christ the King Parish Hall  104 Nottingham Road, Alfreton DE55 7GL  
Ripley 
Amber Valley District 
Tuesday 11 June 2024 1:30pm-6:30pmGreenwich Community Sports Hub
Nottingham Road, Ripley DE5 3AY
Pilsley
North EastDerbyshire District 
Friday 14 June 2024  2pm-7pm  Pilsley Village Hall  Pear Tree Road, Pilsley S45 8HU  
CalowNorth EastDerbyshire District Saturday 15 June 2024  10am-4pm  Calow Community Centre  Allpits Road, Calow S44 5AT  
Borrowash
Erewash District 
Thursday 20 June 2024  12pm-5pm  Ashbrook Community CentreAshbrook Avenue, Borrowash, DE72 3JE
Findern 
South Derbyshire District 
Friday 21 June 2024  1pm-6pm  Findern Village Hall  7 Castle Hill, Findern DE65 6AL


Webinars  

A series of one-hour online webinar sessions will be held to present details of our proposals followed by a question-and-answer session. These include general overview webinars and location-themed webinars to allow you to attend the session that is of the most interest. You can locate the most relevant section to you by viewing the Our Proposals section or by visiting our online interactive map, which can be found on our website, and entering a place or location of interest. 

A recording of a general overview presentation is also available to view on our website after the first webinar on 21 May.

You can register to attend the webinars on the website. Alternatively, you can contact our community relations team on 0800 073 1047 or email at [email protected].

Webinar sessions  Date  Start time 
Introduction to Chesterfield to Willington project proposals – general overview Tuesday 21 May  6pm
Our proposals in Section 1 – Chesterfield substation to Stretton Tuesday 28 May  1pm 
Our proposals in Section 2 – Stretton to Ripley Friday 7 June1pm
Our proposals in Section 3 – Ripley to Morley Monday 17 June  1pm
Our proposals in Section 4 – Morley to Ockbrook Tuesday 18 June1pm
Our proposals in Section 5 – Ockbrook to Aston-on-Trent Tuesday 25 June1pm
Our proposals in Section 6 – Aston-on-Trent to Willington substation   Thursday 27 June1pm
Introduction to Chesterfield to Willingtonproject proposals – general overview Tuesday 2 July6pm


Ask the expert sessions

Members of the public with specific questions can book a ‘one-to-one’ session with a member of the project team. These can be held via telephone call back or video conferencing session. Please call us on 0800 073 1047 or email us at [email protected] to book an appointment.to book an appointment.

To help us set up the session and find the right expert(s), please tell us your preferred availability and question/topic of interest. These sessions are available throughout the duration of the consultation.
 

Local information points  

Paper copies of the key consultation materials will be available at several locations to ensure public access to the information throughout the consultation. These are located within or near the Emerging Preferred Corridor.

At these information points the consultation newsletter and feedback form are available to collect. Reference copies of the Project Background Document, SOR and CPRSS will be available to view.

Documents will be available at these locations throughout the consultation period. Opening hours can be subject to change so please check with the relevant venue for the most up-to-date opening hours before you visit.
 

Information point locations

Public information pointsOpening times 
South Derbyshire District 
Borrowash Library Victoria Avenue, Borrowash DE72 3HE Monday: 2pm-5pm Wednesday: 9:30am-7pm Friday: 9:30am-1pm Saturday: 10am-1pm 
Erewash District 
Ilkeston Library Market Place, Ilkeston DE7 5RN Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 9:30am-5pm Tuesday: 9:30am-7pm Saturday: 9:30am-4pm 
Long Eaton Library Tamworth Road, Long Eaton NG10 1JG Monday to Thursday: 9:30-7pm Friday: 9:30am-7pm Saturday: 9:30am-4pm 
Derby City District 
Alvaston Library London Road, Alvaston DE24 8QP Monday: 1pm-5pm Tuesday & Friday: 9:30am-5pm Thursday: 9:30am-7pm Saturday: 9:30am-1pm 
Mickleover Library Holly End Road, Mickleover DE3 0EQ Monday: 1pm-5pm Tuesday & Friday: 10am-5pm Thursday: 10am-7pm Saturday: 10am-1pm 
Normanton Library St Augustine’s Community Centre, Almond Street DE23 6LX Monday & Friday: 9:30am-5pm Wednesday: 9:30am-7pm Thursday: 1pm-5pm Saturday: 9:30am-1pm 
Riverside Library Council House, Corporation Street DE1 2FS Monday to Friday: 9am-5pm Saturday: 9am-1pm 
Amber Valley District 
Ripley Library Grosvenor Road, Ripley DE5 3JE Monday-Friday: 9:30am-5pm Saturday: 9:30am-4pm 
Alfreton Library Severn Square, Alfreton DE55 7BQ Monday-Thursday: 9:30am-5pm Friday: 9:30am-7pm Saturday: 9:30am-4pm 
Belper Library Derwent Street, Belper DE56 1UQ Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 9:30am-5pm Tuesday: 9:30am-7pm Saturday: 9:30am-4pm 
Heanor Library Ilkeston Road, Heanor DE75 7DX Monday-Wednesday: 9:30am-5pm Thursday: 9:30am-7pm Friday: 9:30am-5pm Saturday: 9:30am-4pm 
North East Derbyshire District 
Clay Cross Library Holmgate Road, Clay Cross S45 9PH Monday: 9:30am-7pm Tuesday & Thursday: 9:30am-5pm Friday: 9:30am-12pm Saturday: 9:30am-12:30pm 
Holmewood Library Heath Road, Holmewood S42 5RB Monday: 2pm-5pm Thursday: 10am-7pm Friday: 10am-1pm Saturday: 9:30-1pm 
Bolsover District 
Bolsover Library Church Street, Bolsover S44 6HB Monday-Thursday: 9:30am-5pm Friday: 9:30am-7pm Saturday: 9:30am–4pm 
Chesterfield District 
Chesterfield Library New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield S40 1QN Monday, Tuesday & Friday: 9am-5pm Wednesday & Thursday: 9am-7pm Saturday: 9am-4pm 
Newbold Library Windemere Road, Chesterfield S41 8DU Monday & Thursday: 9:30am-5pm Tuesday: 9:30am-7pm Friday: 9:30am-12pm Saturday: 9:30am-12:30pm 
Old Whittington Library High Street, Chesterfield S41 9JZ Tuesday & Thursday: 10am-6pm Saturday: 10am-1pm 

1 National Grid’s policy paper: Delivering for 2035

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