Our landowner charter

The electricity grid is vital infrastructure to ensure power flows where it's needed. The grid was built for an electricity system based on fossil-fuel generation. As we use more renewable generation, we'll need more (or different) grid infrastructure to transport it. This can include new underground cables, overhead lines and pylons.

We know this transition will have a major impact on our local communities and landowners. You are at the heart of this change. In the future, you'll reap the benefits through cleaner, cheaper, more secure electricity.

In this charter, we detail our commitment to landowners. It outlines the engagement standards you can expect from us when we're discussing proposed apparatus on your land.

When developing the grid, we are obligated to secure consents, accesses and planning permissions to the required lands. NIE Networks then construct and maintain the infrastructure.

We make every possible effort to secure this access by voluntary agreement. This is through either:

We understand the importance of fair and reasonable compensation for landowners. Based on feedback from landowners, we have formally recommended a revised, more generous model for compensation to the Utility Regulator.

At SONI, we understand that proposed infrastructure on your land can be a challenging issue and not always welcome. We respect and celebrate the crucial role landowners play in hosting this vital infrastructure across Northern Ireland.

We are committed to working constructively, openly and respectfully with landowners at all stages of our project development. Landowners on potential route corridors will receive clear steps to the engagement process. We'll explain why the project is needed in a timely and efficient manner.

Clear, open communication with landowners can help us achieve our targets and goals. We strive to have a good working relationship from our first meeting until we hand the project to NIE Networks for construction.