National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) has announced a strategic partnership with The Data Centre Alliance (DCA), strengthening collaboration between the electricity network and one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK.
Demand for data centres is increasing rapidly, driven by cloud computing, AI and digital services. Projects are moving at pace, with developers seeking early clarity on connection options, costs and delivery timelines as they progress investment decisions.
The partnership provides earlier access to guidance, and more opportunities to shape connection solutions before formal applications are submitted.
Roisin Quinn, Chief Operating Officer at National Grid Electricity Distribution, said, “This partnership brings us closer to a sector that is central to economic growth across our regions.
“Data centre developers are making major investment decisions at pace. They need clarity on how and when they can connect, and confidence that the infrastructure will be there to support them. By working more closely in partnership with The DCA, we can understand those requirements earlier, plan more effectively, and design and deliver innovative connections.
“This is about supporting jobs, attracting investment and enabling growth across the Midlands, South West and South Wales, while playing our part in the UK’s wider ambitions for AI and digital services. Our role is to make sure the network is ready.”
Through The DCA, NGED will provide members with direct access to its strategic customer engagement teams, including pre-application discussions, application guidance and ongoing engagement to support the development of connection strategies that reflect both technical and commercial requirements.
The partnership creates a stronger feedback loop between developers and the network, helping NGED build a clearer view of future demand and prepare the system accordingly.
NGED is already supporting major data centre developments across its regions, with over 2GW of accepted connections currently in its pipeline. This reflects the scale and pace of investment coming forward, and the growing importance of electricity networks in enabling it.
Beyond data centres, NGED is also powering the wider infrastructure behind the UK’s digital and AI economy. In Bristol earlier this year, it played a key role in enabling the Isambard supercomputer, one of Europe’s most powerful AI research platforms, ensuring the infrastructure is in place to support advanced research.
Steve Hone, Co-Founder and CEO of The DCA, said, “We’re delighted to be working in strategic partnership with National Grid Electricity Distribution. Bringing the network and data centre communities closer together is critical to supporting the UK’s rapidly growing digital and AI infrastructure, strengthening grid resilience, and unlocking sustainable economic growth.”
NGED is investing £7.5 billion through ED2 to upgrade its network, increase capacity and build greater flexibility into the system. This will help ensure the network is ready to meet increasing demand from data centres and the wider digital and AI economy, supporting growth while maintaining a reliable and resilient electricity network.
