IN Brief:
- Power On has delivered the EHV/HV infrastructure package for the 170-acre Stansted North commercial development.
- The works include a new 33kV grid connection and a 33/11kV primary substation connected to UK Power Networks’ Bishop’s Stortford network.
- The project builds electrical capacity into a major commercial site before phased demand is fully realised.
Power On has completed a major electricity infrastructure package for the Stansted North commercial development, delivering a new 33kV grid connection and primary substation to support the site’s phased build-out.
The company acted as principal designer and principal contractor for the power works, which serve a 170-acre commercial development close to Stansted Airport. The package includes a new 33kV connection from UK Power Networks’ Bishop’s Stortford network and a 33/11kV primary substation designed to support demand growth as the site is developed.
The new primary substation gives Stansted North a dedicated high-voltage platform from which local distribution can be built out in stages. That allows load to be added progressively while maintaining a clear engineering route between the regional distribution network and the internal electrical infrastructure serving individual plots.
The project places grid connection and electrical capacity at the front end of the development programme. Large commercial and logistics sites increasingly need firm power availability before occupiers commit, particularly where future uses may include automation, fleet charging, refrigeration, advanced manufacturing, or other load-intensive operations.
The development’s proximity to Stansted Airport also gives the scheme a strong infrastructure dimension. Sites near major transport corridors are often attractive for logistics and commercial activity, but their viability depends on the availability of power, access, water, drainage, data connectivity, and road capacity. Electricity is now one of the more difficult services to secure quickly where distribution networks are already under pressure.
The delivery model also demonstrates the role of independent connections providers in contestable grid works. Certified providers can design and build network infrastructure to the standards required by distribution network operators and asset owners, helping to move projects through design, procurement, installation, and commissioning without relying solely on incumbent delivery routes.
Commercial developments are being shaped by a different electrical load profile from that assumed for older business parks. Warehousing, cold-chain operations, process equipment, EV fleet depots, heat electrification, and data-led building systems can increase site demand beyond conventional small-power and lighting allowances. Early high-voltage planning is becoming a core part of commercial development risk management.
At 33kV and 11kV levels, the engineering challenge extends beyond installation. Connection design, protection settings, switchgear specification, civils works, phasing, commissioning, and eventual adoption must be coordinated so that the network can operate safely while the site evolves.
The Stansted North connection gives the development a stronger platform for phased occupation and future expansion. It also adds another example of high-voltage connection work moving closer to the start of major commercial schemes as grid availability becomes a determining constraint on industrial and logistics growth.