We're working with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’ (RSPB) Otmoor Nature Reserve to help protect and restore Oxfordshire’s precious natural habitat.
As part of our ongoing substation works in Oxfordshire, we've invested Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) credits with the RSPB at one of the country’s most-significant inland wetland reserves. These credits are how developers fulfil their statutory obligations to invest in biodiversity enhancements, committing to a minimum of 10% biodiversity net gain.
This investment will contribute towards the restoration and improvement of three former arable fields at Otmoor nature reserve, to compensate for unavoidable environmental impacts from our nearby electricity network upgrades.
ABOVE - Photo taken by our team at RSPB Otmoor
Two of these fields will be transformed into wetland mosaic, a nationally important habitat type with exceptionally high species richness. Carefully managed water levels will support a diverse range of bird species all year round, including Lapwings, Redshanks and Snipe. The third field will be seeded with native species to create a transitional habitat to encourage a wider range of biodiversity across the site.
Paul Goodchild, our Senior Project Manager for the Cowley project says:
“Our investment in Biodiversity Net Gain at Otmoor reflects our commitment to ensuring that essential infrastructure upgrades also contribute to positive, lasting benefits for local ecosystems. Working with the RSPB on such a significant reserve is a fantastic opportunity to support habitats that are vital for wildlife, while delivering the upgrades Oxfordshire needs for a low‑carbon future.”
ABOVE - Photo taken by our team at RSPB Otmoor
The RSPB’s Otmoor reserve spans 485 hectares, making it one of the largest inland wetland complexes in the country, and our investment will contribute to the long‑term ecological value of the reserve.
David Wilding, RSPB’s Otmoor Reserve Manager adds:
"Otmoor is already one of central England's most important wetland reserves, but projects like this remind us what can be achieved when we have mechanisms and policy in place that bring investment into nature. Transforming these fields into wetland mosaic is genuinely significant as this habitat type supports some of our most pressure-sensitive species, including Curlew, Lapwing, Redshank and Snipe, all of which have seen serious national declines.”
The biodiversity investment forms part of our wider £200 million upgrade to Oxfordshire’s electricity network. Work is currently under way at the Cowley substation in southeast Oxford, where state-of-the-art equipment is being installed to increase capacity for local homes and businesses and strengthen long-term network resilience in a more-volatile climate.
This programme began in August 2025 with the installation of new high‑voltage underground cables along Grenoble Road. Delivered by our contract partner OCU Group, the multi‑million-pound upgrade is scheduled to continue through to early 2027.
ABOVE - Photo of RSPB and SSEN team taken at RSPB Otmoor, with our Senior Project Manager, Paul Goodchild (centre)