Britain must radically shake up its electricity system, build large numbers of new pylons and secure £40 billion of annual investment to meet its 2030 clean energy targets, ministers have said.

The National Energy Systems Operator (Neso) has said that while Labour’s plan to decarbonise the grid by the end of the decade is a “huge challenge”, it is “achievable”.

However, despite the obstacles, the public body has charted a path to decarbonize the grid by the end of the decade, which opponents have called impossible without risking power outages and rising bills.

Overall costs for consumers will not necessarily increase as a result of the policy, and bills may even fall in the long term as the electricity system becomes less exposed to international gas prices, said Neso, the body responsible for network management.

But Labor will need to reform the planning system to allow new pylons, wind farms and solar plants to be built quickly to meet their target, he said.

More than twice as much transmission network – pylons, overhead power cables and substations – will need to be built than in the previous decade, he adds.

The requirement, which equates to more than 1,000 kilometers of power lines, will put ministers on a collision course with vocal anti-pylon lobbyists in rural areas.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the analysis is “conclusive evidence” that Labour’s plan to make the UK a “clean energy superpower is the right choice”.

He said the Government is “committed” to driving reforms to the planning system and network to meet the target, which comes five years earlier than the previous 2035 target set by the Conservatives.

Neso also said the government will need to speed up the so-called grid queue, where green energy sources face years-long delays in actually connecting to the power grid.

The public body is consulting on the possibility of replacing the current “first come, first served” approach to network connections, to prioritize projects ready to move forward.

Fintan Slye, chief executive of Neso, said: “There is no doubt that the challenges ahead on the path to delivering clean energy are considerable.

“However, if the scale of these challenges matches the bold and sustained actions outlined in this report, the benefits achieved could be even greater,” he added.

Mr Slye said the plan could “provide a local energy base that would break the link between international gas price volatility”.

The report says some UK nuclear power plants will also have to stay open longer than expected. Several sites in Torness, Heysham and Hartlepool are currently due to close in 2028, but may have to continue operating.

The analysis found the UK would also need a five-fold increase in its demand flexibility service, where consumers and businesses are encouraged to save money by using less electricity during peak periods to help reduce demand on the network.

Neso is already stepping up its consumer demand flexibility service this winter. In exchange for reduced energy consumption during peak hours, customers enrolled in the program and with smart meters can reduce their bills.

Greg Jackson, founder of Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest supplier of household appliances, said: “It’s great to see that clean energy by 2030 is possible – and the best path will revolve around customers, not just infrastructure. »

John Pettigrew, chief executive of National Grid, the listed company which owns much of England’s electricity infrastructure, added that the analysis is “an extremely useful step in clarifying the measures that we, along with the Government, regulator and the industry, must take”. .

He called for a “relentless focus on meaningful and immediate reforms, the connections and planning of which will be critical to success.”

Alistair Phillips-Davies, boss of energy giant SSE, said: “The industry will invest the money needed if regulators put in place investment frameworks and the government provides supportive policies that enable construction of projects.

“The sooner we get there, the sooner we can create the good jobs and energy security we all want; build a strong, affordable local system that protects families and businesses from future energy price shocks.

Jonathan Brearley, chief executive of regulator Ofgem, said it was a “huge step forward towards achieving clean energy by 2030”.

“We will consider the advice carefully with the government,” he said.

“The best way to protect consumers is to end dependence on fossil fuels and reach net zero – but difficult compromises are necessary, as Neso argues. »

The government will publish a clean energy action plan in the coming months.