The NAO warns that the delay in upgrading could cost the public up to 7.8 billion pounds by 2030. According to the data, the lack of modernization prevents systems from managing renewable energy, creating additional costs for businesses and final consumers. The company has announced that without quick action, the costs of managing aging networks could reach this figure.

The costs of managing aging networks have already risen to 1.9 billion pounds in the 2025-26 period. When the network cannot transport enough electricity from generation points to consumption points, the operator pays to parks wind farms to shut down and to gas plants to run elsewhere. These constraint costs go to bills, and without upgrades, they could rise to 7.8 billion pounds by 2030 according to NAO estimates.

The 70 billion pound program is underway to ensure that more energy can be transported from renewable points to homes, but the pace is too slow. The company has announced that the delay threatens not only energy consumption but also economic growth. If the system does not work, businesses must pay to keep the network operational, which translates into higher prices for citizens.

Transmission companies will have to quadruple their annual investments, rising from 2.5 billion pounds in the 2025-26 period to over 11 billion pounds in the 2027-28 period. This increase in spending is necessary to keep the network functional, but without an accelerated upgrade, the final cost falls entirely on consumers. The NAO has specified that additional costs are inevitable if modernization is not accelerated.

Ofgem, the industry regulator, estimates that consumers could save around 30 pounds per year if the upgrade is achieved at the required pace. This calculation is based on the reduction of shutdown and startup costs caused by the system not working. However, the NAO has warned that these savings do not compensate for the cost of managing aging networks without urgent interventions.

The delay in implementing the program could risk locking in the country's economic growth. The lack of adequate electricity prevents businesses from operating efficiently, creating a vicious cycle of high costs. The company has announced that the delay is not only a technical problem but an economic factor that must be addressed urgently to avoid productivity losses.

The data shows that the cost of managing aging networks has already risen to 1.9 billion pounds in the 2025-26 period. Without an accelerated upgrade, these costs could reach 7.8 billion pounds by 2030. The NAO has specified that constraint costs go to bills, and without quick actions, they could rise to this figure.

The company has announced that the delay threatens not only energy consumption but also economic growth.