National Grid: Data Centres
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure commitments to grid upgrades and decarbonisation are not overlooked due to the demand for data centres to be rapidly connected to the grid.
Answered by Michael Shanks
Government is working closely with Ofgem, NESO and network companies to ensure network capacity is available to support data centre growth, in a way that balances the needs of the energy system and ensures delivery of clean power. This includes taking actions announced in the November 2025 ‘Delivering AI Growth Zones’ publication to manage speculative data centre demand and ensure the most strategic and credible projects are prioritised for connections. Government expects to consult on these measures in due course.
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