Network Options Assessment (NOA)

National Grid ESO - Early Competition consultation - green mountain with flowlines.PNG

Useful links

Related pages

What is the Network Options Assessment (NOA)?

The NOA is our recommendation for which reinforcement projects should receive investment during the coming year.

Every year we identify and recommend major National Electricity Transmission System (NETS) reinforcements projects to meet the future network requirements.

We reach our conclusions using the latest NOA methodology which is approved by Ofgem, and outputs from the FES 2020 and ETYS 2020.

At the ESO, we are always thinking long term and create plans to best predict the needs of Great Britain whilst making sure we deliver value to the consumer.

Latest news and updates

Modelled Constraint Costs NOA 2020/21

Our latest summary and analysis of constraint costs and possible mitigations.

NOA 2020/21 methodology consultation has now started

We have opened the consultation for our NOA 2020/21 methodology. It will close on Tuesday 22 June 2021

Change to recommendation to BRRE

We undertook further analysis following some latest developments which has caused a change to BRRE's recommendation. Read the letter here

NOA 2020/21 report is now live

The publication is now available to download.

Missed our webinar? Download the recording.

UoM review of the NOA Process - Economic Aspects

In 2020 the University of Melbourne reviewed the NOA Process as part of an innovation project. Download their report on the economic aspects.

UoM review of the NOA Process - Technical Aspects

In 2020 the University of Melbourne reviewed the NOA Process as part of an innovation project. Download their report on the technical aspects.

Download the NOA publication

NOA 2020/21 in numbers*

*The following numbers do not reflect the change in the recommendation to BRRE dated April 2021. You can read more in our letter here.

Proceed:

Total cost:

Investing in 2021/22:

4 ESO-led commercial solutions

Asset-based options:41

£13.9bn

£183m

Additional consumer benefit of up to:£2.1bn

Delay:

Hold:

Do not start or Stop:

Total deferred spend of delaying 2 options£3.2m

‘Optimal’ but not required this year66

Not ‘optimal’ and shouldn't be progressed this year58

NOA Interconnector analysis:

Total interconnection capacity range between GB and European markets:16.9-27.7GW

Investment recommendations 2020/21

Overview of options submitted this year

The options that are analysed in the NOA fall into two main groups:

Asset-based options
ESO proposed options

This year we received a total of 171 options which were placed into various categories:

National Grid ESO - NOA 2020 - Reinforcement options categories

Scotland and the north of England

For Scotland and north of England region, we identified 62 optimal options and received the following recommendations:

Proceed:	Hold:	Delay:
28	33	1

Code	Option description	EISD	NOA 2020/21 recommendation
BBNC	Beauly to Blackhillock 400kV double circuit addition	2030	Proceed
BDUP	Uprate the Beauly to Denny 275kV circuit to 400kV	2028	Hold
BLN2	Beauly to Loch Buidhe 275kV reinforcement	2030	Proceed
BPNC	A new 400kV double circuit between Blackhillock and Peterhead	2029	Hold
CBEU	Creyke Beck to Keadby advance rating	2023	Hold
CDHW	Cellarhead to Drakelow circuits thermal uprating	2023	Proceed
CDP2	Power control device along Cellarhead to Drakelow	2023	Hold
CDP3	Additional alternative power control devices along Cellarhead to Drakelow	2023	Hold
CGNC	A new 400kV double circuit between Creyke Beck and the south Humber region	2031	Proceed
CKPC	Power control device along Creyke Beck to Keadby to Killingholme	2023	Hold
CMNC	South east Scotland to north west England AC onshore reinforcement	2033	Proceed
CRPC	Power control device along Cottam to West Burton	2023	Hold
CS05	Commercial solution for Scotland and the north of England - stage 1	2023	Proceed
CS06	Commercial solution for Scotland and the north of England - stage 2	2023	Proceed
CTP2	Alternative power control device along Creyke Beck to Thornton	2024	Proceed
CWPC	Power control device along Cottam to West Burton	2023	Hold
DEPC	Power control device along Drax to Eggborough	2023	Hold
DLRE	Loch Buidhe to Dounreay 275kV double circuit reconductoring	2027	Hold
DLUP	Uprate the Windyhill-Lambhill-Denny North 275kV circuit to 400kV	2028	Hold
DNEU	Denny North 400/275kV second supergrid transformer	2025	Hold
DWN2	Denny to Wishaw 400kV reinforcement	2028	Delay
DWNO	Denny to Wishaw 400kV reinforcement	2028	Proceed
DWUP	Establish Denny North-Clydesmill-Wishaw single 400kV circuit from existing 275kV circuits.	2026	Proceed
E2DC	Eastern subsea HVDC Link from Torness to Hawthorn Pit	2027	Proceed
E4D3	Eastern Scotland to England Link: Peterhead to Drax Offshore HVDC	2029	Proceed
E4L5	Eastern Scotland to England 3rd Link: Peterhead to the south Humber offshore HVDC	2031	Proceed
ECU2	East coast onshore 275kV upgrade	2023	Proceed
ECUP	East coast onshore 400kV incremental reinforcement	2026	Proceed
ECVC	Eccles hybrid synchronous compensators and real-time rating system	2026	Proceed
EDNC	Uprate Brinsworth and Chesterfield double circuit to 400kV and a new 400kV double circuit between Ratcliffe and Chesterfield	2033	Proceed
EHRE	Elvanfoot to Harker reconductoring	2027	Hold
GWNC	A new 400kV double circuit between the south Humber area and south Lincolnshire	2031	Proceed
HAE2	Harker supergrid transformer 6 replacement	2023	Proceed
HAEU	Harker supergrid transformer 5 and supergrid transformer 9A banking arrangement	2022	Proceed
HNNO	Hunterston East–Neilston 400kV reinforcement	2023	Proceed
KWHW	Keadby to West Burton circuits thermal uprating	2023	Hold
KWPC	Power control device along Keadby to West Burton	2023	Hold
LBRE	Beauly to Loch Buidhe 275kV double circuit OHL reconductoring	2027	Hold
LRNC	South Lincolnshire to Rutland reinforcement	2031	Hold
MRP2	Additional power control devices at both Harker and Penwortham	2021	Proceed
NEMS	225MVAr MSCs within the North East region	2024	Hold
NEP1	Power control device along Blyth to Tynemouth and Blyth to South Shields	2024	Hold
NEPC	Power control device along Blyth to Tynemouth and Blyth to South Shields	2023	Hold
NOPC	Power control device along Norton to Osbaldwick	2023	Hold
NOR4	Reconductor 13.75km of Norton to Osbaldwick number 2 400kV circuit	2023	Hold
NOR5	Reconductor 13.75km of Norton to Osbaldwick number 1 400kV circuit to a higher rated conductor	2023	Hold
NSM1	225MVAr MSCs within the North East region	2024	Hold
OPN2	A new 400kV double circuit between the existing Norton to Osbaldwick circuit and Poppleton and relevant 275kV upgrades	2027	Proceed
PWMS	Two 225MVAr MSCs at Penwortham	2024	Hold
SBDC	Spittal to Blackhillock HVDC reinforcement	2029	Hold
SHNS	Upgrade substation in the south Humber area	2031	Proceed
SSHW	Stella West to Spennymoor circuit thermal uprating	2022	Hold
TDP2	Additional power control device along Drax to Thornton	2024	Hold
TDPC	Power control device along Drax to Eggborough	2023	Hold
TFPC	Power control device on Tealing to Westfield circuit	2024	Hold
TGDC	Eastern subsea HVDC Link from south east Scotland to south Humber area	2031	Proceed
THS1	Installation of a single series reactor at Thornton substation	2023	Proceed
WHTI	Tee-in of the West Boldon to Hartlepool circuit at Hawthorn Pit	2021	Proceed
WLTI	Windyhill–Lambhill–Longannet 275kV circuit turn-in to Denny North 275kV substation	2022	Proceed
WRRE	Reconductor West Burton to Ratcliffe-on-Soar circuit	2027	Hold
TDR1	Reconductor Drax to Thornton 2 circuit	2021	Hold
TDR2	Reconductor Drax to Thornton 1 circuit	2021	Hold

South and east of England

For south and east of England region, we identified 47 optimal options and received the following recommendation:

Proceed:	Hold:	Delay:
17	30	0

Code	Option description	EISD	NOA 2020/21 recommendation
AENC	A new 400kV double circuit in north East Anglia	2030	Proceed
ATNC	A new 400kV double circuit in south East Anglia	2030	Proceed
BFHW	Bramley to Fleet circuits thermal uprating	2023	Hold
BFPC	Power control device along Bramley to Fleet	2024	Hold
BFRE	Bramley to Fleet reconductoring	2024	Hold
BMM2	225MVAr MSCs at Burwell Main	2022	Proceed
BPRE	Reconductor the newly formed second Bramford to Braintree to Rayleigh Main circuit	2028	Proceed
BRRE	Reconductor remainder of Bramford to Braintree to Rayleigh route	2023	Hold
BTNO	A new 400kV double circuit between Bramford and Twinstead	2028	Proceed
BWRE	Reconductor Barking to West Ham double circuit	2024	Hold
CS07	Commercial solution for East Anglia - stage 1	2024	Proceed
CS08	Commercial solution for East Anglia - stage 2	2024	Proceed
CTRE	Reconductor remainder of Coryton South to Tilbury circuit	2022	Proceed
ESC1	Second Elstree to St John’s Wood 400kV circuit	2025	Hold
FMHW	Feckenham to Minety circuit thermal uprating	2023	Hold
FMPC	Power control device along Feckenham to Minety	2024	Hold
FWPC	Power control device along Feckenham to Walham	2024	Hold
HWUP	Uprate Hackney, Tottenham and Waltham Cross 275kV to 400kV	2027	Proceed
IFHW	Feckenham to Ironbridge circuit thermal uprating	2023	Hold
MBHW	Bramley to Melksham circuits thermal uprating	2023	Hold
MBRE	Bramley to Melksham reconductoring	2025	Hold
NBRE	Reconductor Bramford to Norwich double circuit	2024	Hold
NIM1	225MVAr MSCs at Ninfield	2024	Hold
NIM2	225MVAr MSCs at Ninfield	2024	Hold
NOM1	225MVAr MSCs at Norwich	2024	Hold
NOM2	225MVAr MSCs at Norwich	2024	Hold
NTP1	Power control device along North Tilbury	2023	Hold
PEM1	225MVAr MSCs at Pelham	2024	Proceed
PEM2	225MVAr MSCs at Pelham	2024	Proceed
RHM1	225MVAr MSCs at Rye House	2024	Proceed
RHM2	225MVAr MSCs at Rye House	2024	Proceed
RTRE	Reconductor remainder of Rayleigh to Tilbury circuit	2021	Proceed
SCD1	New Offshore HVDC link between Suffolk and Kent Option 1	2029	Proceed
SEEU	Reactive Series Compensation protective switching scheme	2022	Hold
SER1	Elstree to Sundon reconductoring	2024	Proceed
SER2	Elstree–Sundon 2 circuit turn-in and reconductoring	2025	Hold
TENC	Thames Estuary reinforcement	2030	Proceed
TGP1	Power control device along Tilbury to Grain	2024	Hold
THRE	Reconductor Hinkley Point to Taunton double circuit	2025	Hold
TKP1	Power control device along Tilbury to Kingsnorth	2024	Hold
TKRE	Tilbury to Grain and Tilbury to Kingsnorth Upgrade	2027	Hold
WAM1	225MVAr MSCs at Walpole	2024	Hold
WAM2	225MVAr MSCs at Walpole	2024	Hold
WSEU	Thermal upgrade for Sundon and Wymondley 400kV substation	2023	Hold
WSR1	Sundon-Wymondley circuit 1 reconductoring	2024	Hold
WSR2	Sundon-Wymondley circuit 2 reconductoring	2024	Hold
WYTI	Wymondley turn-in	2023	Hold

Wales

For Wales and West Midlands region, we identified 4 optimal options and received the following recommendation:

Proceed:	Hold:	Delay:
0	3	1

Code	Option description	EISD	NOA 2020/21 recommendation
MIC1	Cable replacement at Severn Tunnel	2026	Hold
PTC1	Pentir to Trawsfynydd cable replacement	2026	Hold
PTNO	North Wales reinforcement	2027	Delay
WCC1	Cable replacement at Hinksey	2026	Hold

What is NOA for Interconnectors?

The NOA for Interconnectors (NOA IC) is an assessment of how much interconnection with Great Britain would provide the most value to consumers and other interested parties.

Increased levels of interconnection bring significant benefits to GB and European consumers, in terms of lower wholesale energy prices and greater use of renewable power leading to reduced CO₂ emissions.

It evaluates the potential benefit of additional interconnection by considering three elements:

Social economic welfare – the benefit to society.
Constraint costs – the impact of the interconnector on the GB network.
Capital expenditure costs – of both the interconnector and any associated network reinforcements

Our NOA methodology explains how the NOA IC undertakes this analysis.

Interconnector outcomes

This year’s analysis identified a range of potential opportunities for additional interconnection to create value for GB and Europe, both economically and environmentally.

A total interconnection capacity in the range of 16.9 GW to 27.7 GW between GB and European markets by 2040 would provide the maximum benefit for GB consumers.

This is between between 3 to 5 times times the current level of operational GB interconnection of 6 GW.