National Grid’s John Pettigrew: Network needs billions to hit net zero
John Pettigrew warned that upgrades would cost “tens of billions of pounds”
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The chief executive of National Grid has called for a radical overhaul of the electricity network to hit net zero targets and reduce the UK’s exposure to gas prices.
John Pettigrew said there was “no time to lose” as the transmission network needs its biggest transformation since its establishment in 1935 to make it fit for a future of offshore wind turbines, electric cars and heat pumps.
He called for reforms to the planning system to speed up construction and a new, independent future system operator to oversee the net zero drive. He also said a change was needed to the “first-come, first-served” process for the approval of new projects, suggesting that they should be assessed on their merits rather than their place in the
