# National Grid buys 73-acre Teesside site for substation near planned AI datacentre

Digest AI · Hardware & Compute · published 2026-11-01T17:10:52Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/national-grid-buys-73-acre-teesside-site-for-substation-near-planned-a

## Summary

National Grid agreed to purchase 73 acres of land at Dorman Point, part of a site owned by Teesworks, a local private-public partnership. The deal follows reports from last year that the UK government selected Teesworks for a new AI datacentre, with planning applications submitted for a project spanning nearly 500,000 square metres. Matt Pearce, head of land at National Grid, called the purchase a step toward enabling AI infrastructure and supporting economic growth in the region.

The move comes amid growing concerns about the UK’s ability to compete with global AI investment due to power supply constraints. The UK government recently published a draft policy statement emphasizing datacentres’ economic importance, but opposition from local campaigners persists, with protests reported across the country.

## Key points

- National Grid buys 73 acres at Dorman Point for substation near Teesworks’ planned AI datacentre
- Teesworks site includes a 500,000 sq m project, with planning applications already submitted
- Local mayor warns UK risks losing AI investment due to power supply delays, citing global competition

## Why it matters

The substation deal signals the UK’s push to host AI datacentres, but power constraints and local opposition could slow progress.

## Sources

1. [National Grid to site biggest substation on Teesside, near planned AI datacentre](https://theguardian.com/business/2026/nov/01/national-grid-to-site-biggest-substation-on-teesside-near-planned-ai-datacentre) (The Guardian AI, 2026-11-01)

## Cite

Digest AI, "National Grid buys 73-acre Teesside site for substation near planned AI datacentre", 1 November 2026, https://digestai.news/story/national-grid-buys-73-acre-teesside-site-for-substation-near-planned-a

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