Teesworks has completed a deal with National Grid Electricity Transmission for the purchase of 73.3 acres of land at Dorman Point, paving the way for the development of what is expected to be the UK’s largest electricity substation
The agreement was reached on 28 October, marking a significant milestone in plans to deliver major new electricity infrastructure and support the Tees Valley’s growing industrial and clean energy ambitions.
Chris Musgrave OBE, chairman of Teesworks Ltd, said: “Making this land available for what is expected to be the UK’s largest substation is an important step in putting the infrastructure in place to support the next phase of industrial development across the site.”
Remediation works will now commence at the site
Teesworks is now progressing remediation works across the 73.3-acre site over the next six months, preparing the land for National Grid Electricity Transmission ahead of the next stage of development.
“Our focus now is on delivering the remediation works and preparing the land for handover, helping to ensure Teesworks is ready to support the energy needs of major businesses and industries for years to come,” Musgrave stated.
Providing a major boost for electricity infrastructure in Teesside
This land deal marks the start of a new chapter for Teesside. By paving the way for the power needed to attract major investment in AI, data centres, advanced technologies and wider energy-intensive industries, it helps kick-start the region’s next phase of industrial growth.
The site will accommodate Teesside Node A, the major new substation that National Grid’s contractor, Balfour Beatty, will deliver, from which National Grid will provide Steel River Power with an additional 1.44GW (equivalent to the same amount of power as Greater Manchester and Glasgow combined).
The land sits directly beneath both 275kV and 400kV overhead electricity transmission lines, giving the new infrastructure a strategically positioned location.
The substation’s initial 1,440 MVA capacity is scheduled to come online by the end of 2029, providing a major boost to electricity infrastructure at Teesworks. The capacity is contracted to Steel River Power (SRP), which owns and operates the estate’s private electricity network.
Generating enough power for major projects
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen commented: “Everyone who’s tried to build a data centre or large-scale advanced manufacturing, technological or energy-intensive industrial developments in this country knows the biggest problem is getting enough power to the site quickly.
“Having a contracted 1.44GW capacity, with further expansion up to 3.2GW in the near future, means we can finally compete for those projects.
“If Britain is serious about having its own AI capability and other advanced manufacturing technologies, with sensitive data stored safely on British soil, it needs somewhere to physically put it.”
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