The UK government announced on September 29 the establishment of Great British Grid (GBG), a new public body within state-owned Great British Energy intended to invest in and open Britain’s electricity transmission network to greater competition. GBG will compete with National Grid in England and Wales and SSE and Scottish Power in Scotland for transmission projects, while private companies will be able to partner with it, compete for work and, in some cases, build their own connections for solar farms, factories and data centres. The reforms aim to address connection delays of 10 years or more that businesses and renewable-energy developers say are holding back investment and economic growth. GBG could receive up to £4 billion redirected from Great British Energy, compared with about £70 billion that privatised grid companies are expected to invest through 2031. Supporters including Octopus Energy say competition could accelerate connections and reduce costs, while critics argue the body’s relatively small budget and overlap with Ofgem’s existing regulatory role could limit its impact. The government also signalled broader support for greater public control of utilities, including by reversing the long-standing restriction on nationalising water companies.