New homes may be delayed by power grid capacity

House-building plans in part of west London could be delayed due to a lack of capacity in the power grid.

Developers have been warned electricity may not be available until 2030, the Greater London Authority (GLA) said.

The shortfall may be due to an increased demand for electricity from a "rapid influx" of warehouses storing computer servers known as data centres, the GLA added.

Ealing Council says it is "deeply concerned" amid a "housing crisis".

The GLA has written to developers building homes in Ealing, Hounslow and Hillingdon, telling them it has "become aware of an issue relating to the availability of electricity capacity in west London".

The letter goes on to explain that electricity providers are not allowed to prioritise housing developments over other building projects. It also urges them to request power supplies for their sites early in the construction process.

The letter, which was later sent to the local councils, says that house builders often make requests for connectivity late in the process, and this can cause delays if the network capacity has not been increased in time.

Ealing Council said it had requested "urgent" meetings with the GLA and government ministers to discuss how the issue could be resolved.

A council spokesperson said: "We are deeply concerned by this news and we are currently reviewing how the recently announced electricity capacity constraints will impact our substantial housing development programme.

"In the middle of an affordable housing crisis in Ealing and across London, it is vital that we are able to continue building new, genuinely affordable homes to let."

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was "very concerned" about the constraints which have created a "significant challenge for developers".

A spokesperson said: "Sadiq wrote to the government weeks ago requesting a meeting to discuss electricity capacity in west London but the request was declined. In the midst of a housing crisis, he is calling on ministers to work with him to resolve this issue urgently.

Hillingdon Council, however, said it was not aware of any planned housing schemes affected. It also believes power has been allocated to schemes which may not happen, which will relieve any shortage.

The Energy Networks Association, which represents the UK's energy network businesses said the constraints were caused by a "quick and concentrated expansion of demand" from local data centres in the area.

It added that electricity networks were using "every tool available" to manage demand.

"There is significant collaboration across the industry, National Grid ESO, the Greater London Authority and with the housing developers themselves to address these challenges, but a long-term approach to investment is needed," it added.

The government has been approached for comment.

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