UK’s Electricity Networks Strategy Group (ENSG) has estimated that about $6.6 billion will be required to reinforce the national power grid to take advantage of the renewable energy sources expected to contribute to the country’s power infrastructure by 2020.

The high level group of key players in the power transmission sector, which is jointly chaired by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (London) and the Department of Energy and Climate Change, initiates and supports government moves toward meeting the European Union target of generating 15 percent of energy from renewable sources to ensure a low-carbon energy future.

ENSG has identified and estimated the cost of improvements to be made to the national power grid.

These improvements include the establishment of several new high-voltage regional links and the restructuring of existing links to support increased transmission. The major geographical areas where improvements would be required are the networks between Scotland and England, the networks in Wales, the Southwest and East Coast regions of England, and the grid north of London.