National Grid to site biggest substation in UK near planned Teesside datacentre
News Source
β’Sun, 01 Nov 2026 18:37:42 GMT
π° What Happened
National Grid has agreed to buy 73 acres of land at Dorman Point on Teesside. It plans to build the biggest electricity substation in Britain there, beside a huge planned datacentre.
The land belongs to Teesworks, a partnership between the local council and private firms. Sky News first reported the deal. National Grid said it will help the region grow and support AI and digital technology.
Plans for the datacentre cover almost 500,000 square metres. The government chose Teesworks for the project last year, and building applications are already in. Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen welcomed the move.
π The Backstory
Britain is racing to build more computing power for artificial intelligence. AI systems need huge amounts of electricity, and the grid in some areas cannot supply it yet.
Teesside has a long history in steel and chemicals and has lost thousands of jobs over the years. Local leaders hope new tech work will replace some of that.
The government has said datacentres matter as much to the economy as railways and power lines. Critics ask who pays for the new cables and whether local people get the jobs.
π― Why It Matters
AI datacentres use as much power as small cities. This deal shows how the AI boom is already changing the grid, energy bills and jobs in ordinary towns.
National Grid has agreed to buy 73 acres of land at Dorman Point on Teesside. It plans to build the biggest electricity substation in Britain there, beside a huge planned datacentre.
The land belongs to Teesworks, a partnership between the local council and private firms. Sky News first reported the deal. National Grid said it will help the region grow and support AI and digital technology.
Plans for the datacentre cover almost 500,000 square metres. The government chose Teesworks for the project last year, and building applications are already in. Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen welcomed the move.
Britain is racing to build more computing power for artificial intelligence. AI systems need huge amounts of electricity, and the grid in some areas cannot supply it yet.
Teesside has a long history in steel and chemicals and has lost thousands of jobs over the years. Local leaders hope new tech work will replace some of that.
The government has said datacentres matter as much to the economy as railways and power lines. Critics ask who pays for the new cables and whether local people get the jobs.
AI datacentres use as much power as small cities. This deal shows how the AI boom is already changing the grid, energy bills and jobs in ordinary towns.