Summary

PRIDE (Planning Regional Infrastructure in a Digital Environment) is a collaborative project led by National Grid Electricity Distribution, in partnership with West Midlands Combined Authority, Advanced Infrastructure, Regen, and National Energy System Operator (NESO). Designed to address the increasing complexity of energy system planning, the project leverages digital tools and data integration to enhance network forecasting, optimise infrastructure investment, and facilitate collaboration between local authorities, energy networks, and regional stakeholders.

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The Challenge

A significant challenge in achieving the UK’s climate targets is the lack of dynamic information exchange between key stakeholders, which is crucial for enabling integrated local and regional planning aimed at decarbonising major energy demands.

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• Energy networks face difficulties in responding to fluctuating local energy demand due to limited access to critical local data and information.
• Local authorities are neither mandated nor sufficiently resourced to consistently deliver Local Area Energy Plans (LAEPs).
• Technical barriers, such as non-interoperable data between LAEPs and network modelling, complicate the integrated planning process.

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The Solution: LAEP+ Customer Planning Platform

In 2023, Project PRIDE received approval in the second round of the Alpha Phase of Ofgem's Strategic Innovation Fund. During this phase, Advanced Infrastructure developed a digital twin to support local authorities in planning for decarbonisation and local area energy plans. Built upon Advanced Infrastructure’s LAEP+ platform, the digital twin integrates key network data, including grid capacity data, building stock models, and over 40 regional datasets.

This solution offers a more sophisticated, data-driven approach to energy planning, providing local authorities with powerful digital tools for decision-making and helping National Grid optimise its infrastructure investment strategies.

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As of 2025, 20 local authorities across the West Midlands have joined Project PRIDE, actively participating in the development of LAEP+. 

The project aims to have ten areas within the West Midlands produce a digital LAEP by October 2025, demonstrating the practical application of the digital tool and collaborative frameworks.

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£1.5 Million in Annual Savings Forecasted Through LAEP+

Through its implementation within Project PRIDE, LAEP+ is forecast to provide National Grid Electricity Distribution £1.5 million of operational savings per year achieved through more efficient network planning and investment processes. The savings fall into three categories:
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Lower Demand on Energy Network Connection Services
By enabling earlier visibility of local decarbonisation projects and energy demands, LAEP+ reduces the number of reactive and ad hoc network connection requests. This proactive insight allows National Grid to plan more efficiently, decreasing operational workload and associated costs.
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Local Area Energy Planning Support
LAEP+ provides a shared digital environment where local authorities can develop consistent, data-driven Local Area Energy Plans. This helps align local priorities with network planning needs, reducing duplication of effort and ensuring better coordination between regional and national energy strategies.
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More Effective Strategic Investment through Better Demand Forecasting
By integrating granular geospatial, housing, and demand data, LAEP+ enables National Grid to forecast energy needs more accurately. This supports more informed and timely investment decisions, optimising capital expenditure and improving network readiness for future demand.

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Jenny Woodruff, Innovation Manager at National Grid Electricity Distribution, said:

“By sharing data, we can work even more closely together to help deliver Local Area Energy Plans, reducing cost and timescales, and ensuring the electricity network is ready ahead of need to ensure a cleaner and fairer energy future for all.”

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