Transport for London (TfL) is taking solar underground in a deal with SSE Energy Solutions that will cover around 4% of annual electricity consumption for the UK capital’s single largest electricity user.
The private wire deal could deliver up to 65,000 MWh of electricity per year according to TfL, which has set a target of using 100% renewable sourced electricity across its operations by 2030.
With annual demand of roughly 1.6 TWh, TfL is the largest individual electricity consumer in London. The public sector body is responsible for most of the city’s transport network, including the London Underground, Docklands Light Railwway, buses, trams and river services.
The deal with SSE Energy Solutions will see solar installations connected directly to TfL’s energy network, bypassing the local electricity grid. SSE Energy Solutions and TfL will now work to identify suitable locations to build the new solar installations. TfL said these would likely need to be close to the network to enable the direct connection and could incorporate a mixture of installation types, including ground-mounted and rooftop solar.
Signing a private wire deal also guarantees TfL a fixed electricity price and is part of the transport network operator’s larger energy purchasing strategy. TfL has committed to purchasing 70% of its total electricity through power purchase agreements (PPAs) and signed its first deal in summer 2025, relating to a new solar plant in Longfield, Essex.
Lilli Matson, chief environment officer at TfL, said that when built the new solar installations will reduce pressure on the grid and help protect the network against market volatility – with potential for cost savings.
Nathan Sanders, managing director of distributed energy at SSE Energy Solutions, said the company was proud to be delivering renewable energy via private wire. “We’ll invest in, build, operate and maintain the projects, helping to decarbonize and manage price volatility while enabling potential savings for TfL,” he said.
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