The National Grid has detailed £35bn in “unprecedented” upgrades to the UK’s power network that will help the country decarbonise by allowing full electrification of key industries.

The UK is building huge amounts of new renewable energy facilities, led by a series of major wind power projects that are ultimately designed to wean the network off fossil fuels entirely.

However, a report earlier this month suggested that the grid was not ready for the major influx of green energy coming online in the next few years. BloombergNEF data suggests that for every pound invested in renewable energy, the UK should be investing at least £1 in the grid. Then the current ratio is more like 25p to every £1.

National Grid has now revealed its infrastructure plans to March 2031, which will include upgrades to approximately 3,500km of existing overhead lines, nearly doubling the amount of power that can be transferred around the country. This will enable some 35GW of new generation and storage to be connected...