UK power grid provider National Grid has commenced work at its new Uxbridge Moor substation in Buckinghamshire, which is expected to supply electricity to more than 12 new data centers.

The substation is expected to be completed by 2029, and once built will be the largest new substation on the network. National Grid has previously said that data center growth in the UK will require up to 1.8GW of new power capacity.

“Our new Uxbridge Moor substation will provide vital access to power for data centers that are at the heart of Britain’s innovation and economic growth. It will enable new jobs and investment in Buckinghamshire, and will support the UK’s digital future,” said Laura Mulcahy, project director at National Grid Electricity Transmission.

The site is comprised of two substations, one supporting 400kV and the other 132kV. Both will be indoor gas-insulated facilities, which the transmission operator has said will reduce the footprint of the development by 70 percent.

The site is part of a broader £35 billion ($47.4bn) upgrade of the National Grid’s transmission network, aimed at facilitating the connection of large load facilities such as data centers and large-scale renewable energy projects.

The organization’s RIIO-T3 business plan commits more than £11 billion ($14.87bn) to upgrade existing UK networks and begin the first three Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment projects, alongside a £24 billion ($32.5bn) pipeline, including £15 billion ($20.3bn) for network expansion.

UK energy minister Michael Shanks said: “Upgrades to the electricity network like this are at the heart of building the industries of our future.

“It comes as we progress our reforms to the grid connections queue that will speed up the time it takes to get high-growth firms, like data centers and AI hubs, plugged into the grid – while also fast-tracking projects that will scale up clean, homegrown power by 2030.”

In addition, the substation is among the first in the UK to not utilize sulphur hexafluoride – a potent greenhouse gas – as an electric insulator. National Grid has set a target to reduce the emissions tied to sulphur hexafluoride by 50 percent by 2030.

“Alongside these significant benefits, we are working to keep the substations’ environmental impact to a minimum. By using the latest SF6-free gas-insulated switchgear, we’re reducing the size of this crucial site by around 70 percent, and ensuring its technology is sustainable and resilient long into the future,” said Mulcahy.

Construction firm Murphy will act as the principal contractor on the project, in addition to delivering ancillary facilities, underground cabling, and associated work to connect the 400kV substation to a closeby transmission line.