The electrical supply will run from Belvedere and terminate at the Littlebrook substation in Dartford.

This project will be one of the largest and most efficient Energy from Waster (EfW) facilities in the UK, employing 140 personnel from the area, processing 650,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste and generating enough electricity to power 176,000 homes each year. The facility will utilise well-established moving grate technology. This technology has been successfully deployed across numerous operational EfW facilities in the UK.

Over 3 million tonnes of London’s waste must either be landfilled or sent overseas, and this project will provide vital capacity to help address this. It will also help to achieve the goals set out in the London Plan which aim for 100% of London’s waste to be processed within its boundaries by 2026.

We apologies for the disruption this has caused and are working hard with key stakeholders including London Borough of Bexley to ensure minimum disruption to the public. We are working extended hours 7 days a week to ensure they are completed as soon as possible and will be providing a live website that shows the works programme and the live closures.

As the works progress, we will provide weekly updates via the website to assess suitable changes showing where the works are and changes to the traffic network.

Data centres are now classified as critical national infrastructure – are we doing enough to get them connected? We’ll be joined by other industry experts to discuss this at our roundtable on 23 April 2025. The modern world’s energy demands are evolving rapidly, driven by the rise of data centres, battery plants, and renewable energy projects. These developments are placing unprecedented pressure on network capacity and grid infrastructure. At the same time, speculative practices, such as “Zombie Projects” where planning approvals for solar farms or grid connections are obtained with no intention of timely implementation, are exacerbating these challenges. Such projects often lead to grid congestion and delay the progress of critical infrastructure. In conjunction with Building Magazine, JSM is hosting a roundtable discussion on 23 April 2025 with other industry experts to explore who are the winners and losers, and will the UK end up with what it needs to meet the climate challenge and demand for digital services (data storage and AI) as well as housing and commercial growth?

We will be looking at:

Understanding network capacity challenges

Highlight the increasing demand for grid connections due to rapid growth in data centres and battery plants, which are pivotal for a digitised and renewable energy future.

Discuss the implications of “Zombie Projects,” where planning approvals for solar farms or grid connections are sought as speculative investments rather than active developments.

Example: Applications for approvals without a clear timeline for implementation.

Impact on grid congestion and delays for critical infrastructure projects.

Identifying and prioritising critical infrastructure

Examine the importance of prioritising projects based on clear milestones and timelines.

Example: Linking grid connection priority to demonstrated project progress (e.g., secured funding, and planning consents).

Explore frameworks for assessing the criticality of infrastructure projects to energy security and societal needs.

Example: Data centres as essential for the digital economy; battery plants for energy storage and grid stabilisation.

Policy and regulatory strategies

Discuss the role of policy in mitigating “Zombie Projects.”

Consider regulatory changes to streamline grid connection processes for projects with proven milestones.

Technological and collaborative solutions

Highlight innovative solutions to optimise grid capacity:

Grid management technologies and dynamic load balancing.

Collaborative approaches between utilities, developers, and governments to improve transparency in grid allocation.