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The £80m Electricity Transmission Control Centre (ETCC) is being built by McLaughlin & Harvey on the site of National Grid’s decommissioned, former 275 kV substation at Hams Hall, near Coleshill, in the Midlands.

Construction of the new control centre, which will incorporate multiple control functions into a single space, is a key part of National Grid’s investment to increase the network’s capacity and make it easier to connect the energy needed to power the clean energy transition.

As new sources of electricity generation come online and demand patterns change, management of the growing electricity network is becoming more complex, driving the need for the new facility, National Grid explained.

Once operational, the ETCC will work in parallel with National Grid’s existing Transmission Network Control Centre (TNCC) and operate round the clock to control the operations of the high-voltage electricity transmission system.

McLaughlin & Harvey officially began construction in April 2025 with initial preparatory groundworks, followed by the start of piling in July.  The first set of steel structures for the facility are now going in, with the new network control room expected to go-live in 2028.

McLaughlin & Harvey managing director Paul Griffen said: “We are committed to building this essential facility in collaboration with National Grid to enable the future energy needs of the UK to be met. Complex construction projects like this one highlight the capabilities of our talented employees to deliver outstanding results, not just in energy, but across various sectors.”

Jon Davies, director of network operations and intelligence at National Grid, said: “The development of a brand-new Electricity Transmission Control Centre marks an exciting new age for managing the complex and rapidly growing transmission network. Driven by a need to modernise and adapt to the country’s changing energy needs, the facility will futureproof our grid’s resilience and house the talented people responsible for operating our world-class transmission network for decades to come.”

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