National Grid has successfully energised and launched operations at its new Little Horsted substation, significantly boosting the transmission network's capacity. The facility, situated along the Bolney to Ninfield pylon line, adds approximately 0.5GW of capacity—enough to power 480,000 homes—and supports UK Power Networks in meeting the growing regional demand for electricity.

The project is a key component of National Grid's broader £2.7bn investment strategy for the South East between 2026 and 2031. This follows a record-breaking year in 2025, during which the operator connected 2.4GW of new generation to the transmission network alongside half a gigawatt of demand capacity.

Construction of the substation took two years and involved the removal of 65,000 cubic metres of earth, which was repurposed for local projects including resurfacing polo fields in Polegate and landscaping a landfill site in Horsham. A significant logistical milestone was reached in October 2024, when two 178-tonne supergrid transformers were transported from Shoreham Port to the site for installation.

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As part of the development, National Grid transformed 24 acres of land in Framfield into an ecological habitat designed to support protected species, including great crested newts, dormice, bats, and badgers.

Paul Alchin, National Grid Project Manager, said: "We are extremely pleased that Little Horsted substation is operational and connected to our network. This development ensures a continued safe and secure supply of energy fit for the future. Over the next few months our construction team will leave site. We'll also be planting new trees and hedgerow, weather permitting, and reinstating areas in consultation with landowners. We upgraded one of the overhead line circuits coming in and out of Little Horsted substation as part of the new development and will return to upgrade the second circuit at a later date."

Paul Maslen, Project Manager at UK Power Networks, added: "The completion of this major substation will enable us to finish our adjacent substation which will offer increased energy capacity for our customers in the area who are set to use more electricity in future - including new connections. Most of the work on this, which is a separate project, is due to be completed by the Spring of 2027."

Tony Wilson, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty's Power Transmission and Distribution business, commented: "We are proud to have worked alongside National Grid to deliver the Little Horsted substation, supporting the continued reliability and resilience of the electricity transmission network in the South East. The completion of this project reflects the expertise of our teams and our strong collaboration with project partners to safely deliver critical infrastructure that enables future growth and demand."