Powering the next phase of the energy transition

Norwich Main substation extension.

At a glance

Keeping pace

The UK’s energy system is changing fast. As we move away from fossil fuels towards more secure, home-grown, low-carbon energy, demand for electricity is changing too. It’s set to rise by 50% by 2035, and expected to double by 2050 as heating and transport increasingly move to electricity.

That means the network has to keep pace. Towers, cables and substations all need upgrading to connect new generation and get power to where it’s needed. Norwich Main is one of those critical connections.

Connecting new sources of generation to the grid

The substation has been in service for around 50 years, and now needs to expand to connect new sources of generation to the grid, including Hornsea Project Three offshore wind farm, and the Equinor Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon wind farm extensions.

Hornsea Three alone represents a major step forward for UK renewable energy. At 2.9GW and an estimated cost of approximately £8.5 billion, the offshore wind farm is capable of powering more than 3.3 million UK homes. Once complete, it’s on track to become the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

Three phases of work

The Norwich Main programme includes three phases of work: a western extension adding approximately five hectares to the substation site, an eastern extension on existing National Grid land specifically to connect Hornsea Three, and a smaller capacity connection of local Solar and BESS tech (known as Grid Park).

The challenge

When Yova joined the programme, it was struggling and in decline. Schedule slippage was putting further pressure on an already complex delivery environment, while the sheer volume of technical interfaces meant that keeping everyone aligned was a significant challenge.

Short-term intervention wouldn’t cut it. The programme needed a project management team capable of taking control, establishing accountability, and building the momentum needed to drive things forward.

Our approach

We embedded a team directly within the Norwich Main substation extension programme, working alongside the wider project team to tackle the issues at source.

First, we focused on programme recovery. We helped halt further slippage, stabilise delivery, and rebuild momentum.

Then we built the foundations for sustained progress. The Yova project management team was built from the ground up, and established clear lines of accountability. Once we got involved, everyone working at Norwich Main knew what had to happen, who needed to do it, and how each part of the programme connected.

We also poured a lot of time and effort into technical interface management. With the western extension, eastern extension and Grid Park work packages progressing concurrently, there was lots of information, coordination and technical dependency to manage. We brought all of these interfaces together, which helped keep the work packages aligned and moving towards commissioning.

The outcome

The programme’s decline was halted, schedule improvements were delivered, and a stronger project management team was established to maintain that progress.

Through extensive technical interface management, Yova helped take the programme through to the commissioning phase – transforming a struggling programme into one capable of delivering the connections needed by Hornsea Three and the wider region.

At Yova, we know one thing for certain: the energy system is changing this fast, so there’s no time for projects to stand still.