Power On launches EHV grid links for UK data centres

Power On has launched Extra High Voltage (EHV) grid connection services for UK data centre developers, as operators seek larger power supplies for AI and high-performance computing workloads.

Demand from large-scale facilities is pushing more projects toward EHV connections, which operate at voltages up to 132kV. Power On says its offering is designed to simplify the route from early assessment to energisation, as developers face grid-capacity constraints and uncertainty around costs and delivery schedules.

Securing new grid connections has become a critical issue for UK data centres. Developers are competing for limited capacity in areas with strong fibre connectivity and available land. At the same time, operators are designing for higher rack densities and larger campuses. Together, these trends are driving more schemes to consider higher-voltage connections rather than relying on standard high-voltage supplies.

Power On says it provides an end-to-end service for EHV projects, from feasibility through design, build and adoption. The scope also includes Balance of Plant work associated with the connection. The company operates nationally and across multiple utility types, although the new announcement focuses on EHV electricity connections.

Connection model

Power On operates as an NERS-accredited Independent Connection Provider, enabling it to design and build electricity networks that connect sites to the existing distribution system. It can also act as an Independent Distribution Network Operator, owning and operating the installed assets over the long term.

This structure affects how work is contracted and how assets are financed and maintained. Developers often face a complex interface between the data centre build programme, the delivery of substations and cabling, and network operator processes. Power On says its teams have experience with these requirements and can reduce delays linked to approvals and handovers.

It also offers private wire arrangements in which it owns and operates the infrastructure beyond the meter. This places operations and maintenance with the same provider that delivered the connection assets and can shift a developer's capital spending profile, as the asset owner can invest in and adopt the network it builds.

Power On says this model can reduce capital expenditure on development. While industry practice varies by site and deal structure, the issue has gained weight as developers balance overall project costs with the expense of land, construction and power equipment.

Dual-feed design

Power On is also promoting a dual-feed approach for EHV connections. Under this design, two EHV circuits run from the grid connection point; if one circuit faults or is taken out of service, the second continues to supply the load.

Resilience remains a key purchasing criterion for data centre operators, particularly for facilities serving financial services, cloud infrastructure and latency-sensitive workloads. Operators typically combine grid-supply design with on-site backup systems, and higher-voltage connection architecture forms part of that strategy.

Power On argues that standard high-voltage networks often cannot accommodate the scale and growth profile of large data centres. By contrast, EHV infrastructure provides higher capacity for sites that expect to expand over time. It links this to the needs of AI and high-performance computing, which can require significant power for compute clusters and associated cooling systems.

Delivery challenges

Grid capacity has become a major constraint for new UK data centres, with long lead times for reinforcement works in some regions and uncertainty over connection dates. The sector also faces tighter scrutiny of energy use and local impacts, which can add complexity to planning and stakeholder engagement.

In response, Power On says it works directly with data centre clients from feasibility through to energisation, aiming to reduce risk across four areas: capacity, cost, programme and complexity. It also says it starts with grid-connection optimisation and uses design choices it describes as smart and innovative.

Neil Fitzsimons, Managing Director at Power On, said: "EHV connections are complex on many fronts, from issues of grid capacity to cost control concerns. Power On leverages its long-term expertise in the electricity market to give data centres greater control over all aspects of EHV, de-risking the whole process."

Power On says it has more than 20 years' experience across multi-utility connections, including electricity, water, wastewater, fibre, heat and gas. It says it has worked on projects with complex routing and construction constraints, including infrastructure near major transport routes and in dense industrial areas.

Power On expects demand for higher-voltage connections to continue as more data centre projects move from single buildings to larger campuses with phased expansion plans.