Privacy policy

We, meaning National Grid Electricity Transmission PLC, as the Data Controller, are committed to respecting your privacy and complying with applicable data privacy laws. This notice outlines how “we” collect and use your information.

We have provided this Privacy Policy Statement to help you understand how we collect, use and protect your information when you visit this website or otherwise communicate with us, for example via the telephone helpline or email address referenced in this website.

We wish to help you make informed decisions, so please take a few moments to read the sections below and learn how we use your personal information.

How we use your personal information

When you use this website

We use cookies to automatically log our website visitor's domain and IP address. This data is used to see where the website is being accessed from and to help better understand website usage, so that we can improve our service to you. Further information about how we use Cookies can be found here.
We cannot be responsible for the privacy policies and practices of other websites you access, even if you access the third-party website using links from our website. We recommend that you check the policy of each website you visit and contact the owner or operator of such website if you have any concerns or questions.

Responding to your enquiries

The personal information we collect, and how we use it, will vary depending on how you communicate with us and the nature of your enquiry. We will only use the minimum amount of information necessary to meet the purpose. In all cases, we rely on legitimate interests as a lawful basis for processing this information. These include your own interest in receiving a response to your enquiry, and where we use information you provide to inform statistical analysis and scientific research, the interests of the public in general. 

If your initial enquiry is made via the telephone helpline, we use a voice recording system to capture details you provide regarding the nature of your enquiry, and the preferred method by which you wish us to respond, e.g. your personal landline or mobile telephone number, email address, or postal address.
Where relevant to your enquiry we may need to process personal details such as any health effects experienced in relation to proximity of overhead electricity lines.

Statistical and Research Purposes

In addition to responding to your specific enquiry, we use the information you provide on health effects to inform statistical analysis and scientific research. In doing so we will only use aggregated, anonymised data which doesn’t enable us – or any party we share the information with – to identify you as an individual. 

Research into the effects of EMFs enables us, and the wider energy industry, to develop strategies to manage and minimise the associated health risk and inform the guidance we provide to you and the general public.

How do we keep your information accurate and up to date?

If any of the information that you have provided to us changes, please let us know the correct details by sending an e-mail to [email protected].

Who has access to your personal information?

Your personal information will be processed by our employees and our third-party service providers who perform functions on our behalf under contract, including Cloud service and application support providers. 

We also share anonymised data with the Energy Networks Association and its members.

How do we keep your information secure? 

We take all reasonable and appropriate steps to keep your personal information secure and to protect it from misuse, loss, or unauthorised access. We do this by having in place a range of appropriate technical and organisational measures. 

How long do we keep your personal information?

Due to the evolving nature of research into the effects of EMFs and resulting changes to mitigation strategies it is necessary to retain data indefinitely so that we can provide you with updates to reflect the changing advice. However, you still have the right to erasure of your personal information if you no longer wish to be contacted by us. For more information on exercising your data protection rights see “what rights do you have with regard to your personal information” below.

International Transfers

The processing of your personal information for the purposes outlined above involves transfer of your data to service providers located outside the United Kingdom. This includes the use of Cloud hosting services in the USA and application support services from providers located in the USA and India.

When using external service providers, we take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal data is processed securely. We will only transfer personal information outside the United Kingdom where it is compliant with applicable data protection legislation and the means of transfer provides adequate safeguards in relation to your personal information.

We have entered into contracts with all our national and international suppliers and service providers which include the current UK approved standard contractual clauses concerning the protection of the data transferred.

What rights do you have with regard to your personal information?

Your rights are outlined below:

•    The right to access information we hold about you, and details specific to your personal information such as why we have that information, who has access to it, where we obtained it from, and how long we intend to keep it.
•    The right to correct and update the information we hold about you. If the data we hold about you is out of date, incomplete or incorrect you can inform us, and your data will be updated.
•    The right to have your information erased. If you feel we should no longer be using your information you can request that we erase it. Upon receiving a request for erasure, we will confirm whether it has been deleted or a reason why it cannot be deleted (for example because we have a legal obligation to keep the information or we have an overriding legitimate business interest).
•    The right to object to processing of your data. You may request that we stop processing information about you. Upon receiving your request, we will contact you and let you know if we are able to comply or if we have legitimate grounds to continue to process your data. Even after you exercise your right to object, we may continue to hold your data to comply with your other rights or bring or defend legal claims.
•    The right to request restriction of processing of your personal data. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of your personal data: (a) if you want us to establish the data’s accuracy; (b) if our use of the data is unlawful but you do not want us to erase it; (c) where you need us to hold the data even if we no longer require it as you need it to establish, exercise or defend legal claims; or (d) you have objected to our use of your data but we need to verify whether we have overriding legitimate grounds to use it.
We will comply with your request as soon as reasonably possible, and, as a minimum within one month of receiving it. There are no fees or charges for the first request: however additional requests for the same data may be subject to an administrative fee. 

We will comply with your request as soon as reasonably possible, and, as a minimum within one month of receiving it. There are no fees or charges for the first request: however additional requests for the same data may be subject to an administrative fee. 

To exercise your rights please do so by writing to:

Data Protection Team
National Grid House
Warwick Technology Park
Gallows Hill
Warwick
CV34 6DA

Or e-mail [email protected]

What can I do if I am not satisfied with how my personal information is processed?

If you are not satisfied with how we use your personal information, please contact us in the first instance so we can resolve your queries or provide you with any additional information required.

Alternatively, it is your right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner. For more information please visit the Information Commissioner’s office at www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/ or call them on 0303 123 1113.

Effective date: 22 May 2024