Britain needs an unprecedented expansion of the electricity grid

For decades the electricity grid—the mix of inverters, pylons, substations and transformers that connects sources of energy to consumers—has barely featured in British politics. Fuel burned, turbines spun and transmission lines hummed as energy moved from power plants to urban centres. Distribution grids took over from there, carrying energy over the last mile into factories and homes, so machinery could whirr and kettles boil.