The UK government has confirmed that households living within 500 metres of new or upgraded power pylons will receive £250 taken off their annual energy bills, part of a plan to secure public support for the biggest overhaul of Britain's electricity grid since the 1960s. The discounts, offered in exchange for "hosting vital infrastructure", are intended to head off local opposition to the more than 40 pylon and substation projects planned across Great Britain as the network is expanded to carry renewable electricity from remote and offshore sites to cities.

Eligible households could save up to £2,500 over ten years, with payments applied automatically every six months via energy suppliers from next year. The scheme follows the government's rejection of proposals to bury new cables underground, after research found overhead pylons remained the most cost-effective option for bill-payers. Grid firms are expected to spend up to £77bn over five years on upgrades, and companies including National Grid, SSE and Scottish Power will also fund local community projects, with schemes near National Grid's Bramford-to-Twinstead line and Scottish Power's Chirmorie line receiving over £4m and £2.4m respectively.