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The New Electricity Networks Sector Growth Plan has now officially been mapped out by BEAMA and the Energy Networks Association (ENA) to show how the UK can deliver clean, secure and affordable power while anchoring skilled jobs, stronger supply chains and industrial renewal across the UK for decades to come.
The objective of the New Networks Sector Growth Plan is to maximise the economic benefits generated by the growth of the electricity networks, support UK manufacturers and service providers to grow, and deliver good jobs across the country to enable the delivery of a modern, efficient electricity network.
BEAMA have worked together with their members to build an idea of how this might look and what can be done to help achieve these goals. This is in the form of regional breakdowns to showcase what nationwide growth will look like for different regions.
The reports done on the East Midlands show that by 2035, we will need 2,000 new skilled members of the workforce in this sector to be able to keep up with the demand for key services and skills. Bowers Electricals prides itself on helping give young people gateways into engineering careers through apprenticeships. Apprenticeships have been a key staple of the Bowers Electricals workforce for many years and act as a great gateway into a career in engineering.
“Bowers Electricals are proud to have employees within the business today who began their careers as apprentices at Bowers Electricals. This demonstrates and serves as an indicator of how strong the lasting impact apprenticeships can have in shaping successful engineering careers, and we are confident that apprenticeships will continue to play an important, lasting role across our business for many years to come.” – Bowers Electricals, National Apprenticeship Week 2026
The job creation mapped out in this plan is extensive. From almost 22,500 jobs in the north of Scotland to 16,000 jobs in the south-west of England, the UK will need to support more than 210,000 jobs across network operations, manufacturing, engineering and construction by 2035.
This is all supported by investments from a blended mix of private capital, regulated consumer asset funding, and strategic state support. These parties need to invest an estimated £181 billion for the New Electricity Network Sector Growth Plan. This includes over £70 billion needed for transmission capital expenditure (2026-31) and £37 billion to £50 billion in distribution upgrades through 2050.
The bulk of this capital will be directly deployed by the private companies that are licensed to operate the UK grid, Transmission Owners (TO’s) and Distribution Network Operators (DNOs). These companies raise funding from private investors and global financial markets.
“Network operators and their supply chain companies are set to invest up to £200bn over the next ten years, with spending directed to UK supply chain companies, regional projects and via local recruitment.” – BEAMA, The New Electricity Networks Sector Growth Plan.
Through the targeted sector growth, there will be vast requirements for grid and network improvements in the form of transformers and associated equipment. Reports done by BEAMA and the ENA show that the UK grid will require 96,837 brand-new transformers to align with the demand.
Bowers Electricals is well positioned to support growing demand, supplying a comprehensive range of distribution transformers, power transformers and associated equipment to meet the evolving needs of the UK’s electricity networks.
Established in 1947, Bowers Electricals has a proud history of supplying reliable power and distribution transformers to businesses across the UK and internationally. Our decades of experience span a wide range of industries, enabling us to deliver dependable electrical solutions backed by extensive engineering expertise, technical knowledge and a commitment to continued innovation.
The Network Sector Growth Plan presents an exciting opportunity to strengthen the UK’s energy infrastructure and support growth across the wider economy. By creating a clear pathway for investment and development across sectors such as renewables, EVs, heat, housing, data centres and rail, the plan can help ensure that electricity networks and their supply chains are equipped to meet the UK’s changing energy demand.
Bowers Electricals has extensive experience supplying power and distribution transformers across a diverse range of industries.
With a history dating back to 1947, we combine decades of engineering expertise with the flexibility, technical capability and commitment to quality needed to support the sector’s continued development. As demand for reliable, efficient and sustainable infrastructure grows, we believe businesses like ours have an important role to play in delivering the equipment and expertise needed to power future projects.
We also recognise the importance of ensuring that smaller, established businesses within the supply chain can contribute to this growth. By encouraging collaboration, supporting investment and creating opportunities for businesses of all sizes, the New Network Sector Growth Plan can help build a stronger, more resilient UK supply chain, drive innovation and ensure the benefits of growth are felt throughout the industry.
“The New Network Sector Growth Plan is an important step towards ensuring the UK has the infrastructure and supply chain capability needed to support its future energy demands.
At Bowers Electricals, we believe businesses of all sizes play a vital role to play in this growth. With decades of experience supplying power and distribution transformers across a wide range of sectors, we are placed to support the delivery of critical infrastructure.
By working collaboratively, encouraging investment and recognising the contribution of smaller businesses, we can build a stronger, more resilient supply chain that supports innovation, sustainability and long-term growth across the UK.” – Kevin Chapman, Managing Director, Bowers Electricals Ltd.
1 – https://www.beama.org.uk/market-guidance/electricity-networks-infrastructure/sector-growth-plan.html
3 – https://www.bowerselec.co.uk/insights/national-apprenticeship-week-at-bowers/
