Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said he was “very concerned” and had written to the government weeks ago requesting a meeting to discuss the issue. The government declined to meet with him.
Khan said that electricity capacity constraints in the London boroughs of Hillingdon, Ealing and Hounslow were “creating a significant challenge for developers securing timely connections to the electricity network, which could affect the delivery of thousands of much-needed homes”.
The Energy Networks Association (ENA), which represents UK Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), said the increased demand for electricity capacity in the area was largely due to a rapid influx of batteries and data centres. These uses often place huge demands on the electricity supply compared to housing developments.
In a letter to developers, seen by E&T, the mayor wrote: “Electricity distribution companies are telling some of our partners looking to develop homes in West London...