Promoting energy network innovation 

Northern Powergrid

Northern Powergrid is the distribution network operator (DNO) for the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, responsible for powering everyday life for eight million people across these regions. 

In a time of huge change and increasing demand on the electricity network, it needed to communicate its net zero strategy to the communities it serves, industry colleagues, and stakeholders. This included a wide range of communications activities that showcased its ongoing preparation of a future-ready electricity network.

Results and Impact

Strategic comms support

Challenge

Northern Powergrid – alongside other DNOs – has committed to a clean electricity system by 2035. With demand on the UK network expected to double by 2050, the organisation is facing huge change. With a transformation of the system underway, it needed to show its customers and stakeholders the work it was undertaking to get to net zero, bringing communities on the journey, and proving to regulators it was up to the task of building a future-ready network. 

Solution

Delivering coordinated messaging, communications strategies, and integrated digital and media campaigns that engaged regional and industry audiences on the leadership Northern Powergrid is taking to deliver net zero locally – from communicating the overall business plan and focus, to local innovation projects. 

Results

Designed and delivered campaigns that highlighted to communities the innovation and strategy at the heart of Northern Powergrid, including the launch of a £53mn Green Recovery Fund delivering network investment, a Microresilience innovation project utilising battery storage and microgrids to create community energy resilience, and the creation and launch of the company’s Business Plan for the 2023-28 RIIO-ED2 regulatory period.

Impact

Improved communications with communities, with regular updates on the steps being taken to enable net zero. Northern Powergrid’s Business Plan also secured approval from Ofgem, unlocking £3.2bn of investment over the next five years that will be used to deliver a fair and just transition to net zero, while also helping maintain its role as an anchor organisations within the region and communities that it serves. 

What we did

Social assets

We designed and created a series of creative assets:

Business plan

Developed and designed the organisation’s £3.2bn business plan for the 2023-28 RIIO-ED2 regulatory period.

This included a strategy and delivery for ongoing integrated communication with communities around the business plan.

Media coverage

Top stories included:

• Green Recovery: Local media coverage including Yorkshire Post, BBC Look North and BBC Radio Sheffield.

• Microresilience: Local and trade media coverage including Northern Echo, Current News and Smart Energy International.

• Business Plan: Local coverage including the Yorkshire Post.